Relentless
by lipsticklessie
Summary: Alice had left to hide her tragedy from her brothers and best friend. She knew her return wasn't going to be taken well. But she had to try. She needed their help. If they wouldn't forgive her, they couldn't deny helping her twin girls. Summary sucks. I hope you read any way.
1. Alice Davis

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GHOST HUNT.**

**AN: I KNOW I HAVE NOT FINISHED MY ATTACK ON TITAN FIC. BUT I SEEMED TO HAVE HAD A LONG SPELL OF WRITTERS BLOCK. WHEN THIS STORY POPPED INTO MY HEAD I KNEW I HAD TO WRITE IT AND HOPE, THAT IN RETURN, IT WOULD LET ME START UP AGAIN IN MY OTHER STORY. I HOPE YOU ENJOY!**

Martin Davis walked into the office of his young sons, and hoped they would hear him out before nixing his request all together. He knew it was a long shot. But he had run out of any other option. Well any other option he was willing to do.

All eyes landed on him as he walked in. The young woman behind him quickly bowing her head and taking the hands of the twin girls at her side.

"Father." Gene said more as a warning than as a greeting as he eyed the woman standing behind the man. Naru wasn't going to like this one bit. Gene had more of a forgiving nature. But even he couldn't believe the nerve of his father for bringing that woman here.

The man held up his hand to his elder twin and gave him a stern look. "You both will hear me out on this matter if you know what is good for you. Please ask Lin to join us in Oliver's office."

At the sound of Lin's name, the girl tensed behind him. This didn't go unnoticed by the others in the room.

"Mai… tea." Naru's demanding voice came from his office and the young brunette quickly got to her feet. She didn't protest or groan like she normally did. She wasn't sure of the situation going on in front of her, but she had a feeling he was going to need a bit of calm when it was brought to his attention. She asked the others if they would like some as well, a few heads bobbed a reply. No one wanted to make a sound with the sudden tension in the room. Mai quickly got busy making tea and glanced back at the woman and twins that Martin had brought with him. By Gene's reaction, the girl was about to bring trouble. She wasn't sure about what kind of trouble, but it was trouble none the less. The woman took the twin girls to a corner, away from the rest of the people in the group. She looked nervous. The girls sitting on either side of her looked out in front of them. A blank look on their faces. A look she had seen on Naru's face. A bit of jealousy poked at her, but she quickly shook her head at the thoughts that had started to flood her mind. The girls couldn't be more than five years old. Naru was now eighteen. That would have made him twelve or thirteen.

_Stop it Mai. _She scolded herself for those thoughts again as she set four cups of tea on a tray and headed for Naru's office. She walked in and placed his down in front of him. He glanced over at the other three cups still sitting on the tray. He raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing. He could smell the subtle sent of lavender coming from his tea and had already made the connection that he was about to get some company he wasn't going to be fond of.

"Let them in then." He said as he went back to the pile of papers in front of him. Mai nodded and quickly left the office, meeting Gene and Lin standing outside the door.

"Lavender." Gene said with a smirk. He looked up at the tall Chinese man behind him and sighed. The man was eying the new woman and the twins with a tentative glare. "Hope you spiked all our teas."

Mai smirked and gave a slight nod as Lin took his eyes away from the woman and glanced down at Mai. He patted her head tenderly as a show of his appreciation and followed Gene into the office. Martin who had witnessed Lin's out of character affection smirked and couldn't help but let out a light chuckle.

"It is good to see you again Mai." Martin said as he entered the office and Mai swore she heard Naru curse at the sight of his father. Martin closed the door tightly behind him and Mai quickly made herself busy with taking the others their tea. They were all whispering quietly to each other, but stopped when they saw Mai approaching. She handed them each a tea. Then walked up to the woman.

"Would you like some tea?" Mai asked the woman with a bright smile.

"Do I smell lavender?" She asked with a slight smile. But when Mai nodded, the woman's smile faded into a sad expression. "I used to put lavender in Oliver's tea when he got upset."

Mai gasped and almost dropped her tray. She quickly sat it down and apologized to the woman who now looked at her with a look of confusion and possibly a bit of fear.

"Are you… Gene told me about the lavender…" Mai wasn't sure what to say and the woman gave her a smile, but it didn't meet her eyes.

"Yes." She said then turned her head away. Mai took that as she didn't want to talk any more and quickly made her way back to her friends.

"Do you know her Mai?" Monk asked with a curious look in his eye.

"Yes… I mean no… I have only heard of her." Mai said nervously. She wasn't sure how much she should tell her friends, but knew they weren't going to let her get out of an explanation. "Gene…. In my dreams once. When I was yelling at him because Naru was being a pain. Before I knew who Gene was… He just chuckled at my rant, then said that his sister, Alice, would put lavender in his tea to calm him. That's when I started to do it when I could tell Naru was agitated."

Every one glanced over at the woman in awe.

"That was the only time he mentioned her by name. But on a few occasions, he would say I reminded him of someone." Mai continued. "He never said it was her. But I always guessed that it was. He always got a sad smile when he thought about it."

"Well whatever happened between them must not have been pleasant. I have never seen Gene bristle like that. That seemed like a Naru trait." Monk said and the group silently agreed. The curiosity of the group intensified as they glanced down at the twin girls. They were now both staring at the group as if they had heard the conversation and didn't like them talking about the woman with them.

"Those eyes." Mai shivered.

"No." Every one in the room turned to look at Lin. No one had expected him to give an answer to Martin's question. His eyes glaring daggers at his boss.

"You may not remember the trouble that happened after she ran off." Lin growled. "But I do. Oliver's PK is still very much unstable when confronted with strong emotions. I wont put others in danger in an attempt for her to try and come back into their lives."

Martin sighed and ran a hand through his graying hair. He had promised not to inform the men in the room about why Alice had left. But he was backed up against a wall. If they were going to help, they were going to find out any way. "She didn't leave by choice."

All eyes shot up at Martin with a look of shock. He sighed again and looked back up at Naru. He knew the youngest twin was the one he was going to have to convince. "Luella and I sent her away."

All three men tended at this news but said nothing, so Martin continued. "Something terrible had happened to her. You boys were so protective of her. Oliver, you almost sent a child to the hospital because he accidentally kicked a ball at her head. If Lin hadn't been there, I am afraid it would have happened. After what happened… she asked to sleep in the office till the signs had disappeared. Luella and I knew that wouldn't hide her long. You boys always seemed to find her no matter where she was in London. We decided that sending her overseas would be a better option. She was frightened of your PK, Oliver. And she had a right to be. She was the only one that had seen it used to full power. She wasn't supposed to be gone for as long as she was. But situations changed drastically. It was the hardest decision the three of us have ever had to make. We decided that having her gone permanently was the best choice. To protect all three off you from yourselves."

"Three?" Lin asked a bit confused and Martin nodded.

"You were included in our decision. You had just made a breakthrough with Oliver. He had finally started to trust you. But we weren't blind to how close you had become with Alice." Martin said with a knowing smirk. "And neither was Alice for that matter. What happened to her, could have blinded all three of you with rage. So we decided to protect you by taking her out of the equation. Luella, Alice and I knew of the struggles the three of you went through after she was gone. But you were safe, alive, and out of jail. That is all that mattered."

"What…. What happened to her?" Gene asked quietly. Martin gave his eldest son a saddened look.

"That is not my story to tell. If you want to know, you will have to allow her to tell it. If she is even able too." Martin said then cleared his throat.

"Why didn't she returned when we thought Gene was dead?" Naru asked and Martin flinched. Naru looked at his father in complete shock. "She didn't know… did she?"

Martin shook his head. "And she still doesn't. She had her hands full with those girls of hers. And they are the reason I am here."

"They're… is that why she left?" Gene said in complete shock. Their age added up to about the time she would have left. He glanced up at Lin who had clearly put his wall up. Had Lin known. Martin had been right about Alice. Lin had been there to teach Naru and Gene, but it had been Alice who he had become closest with.

"No… but they are why she stayed away." Martin said. "And before you ask… No the father is unknown to all of us. If the three of you don't mind, I would like to bring Alice in. I know a little about the girls. She can explain more on why we are here."

He looked up at Naru who simply nodded and looked away so not to see his older sister enter his office. He wasn't ready to see her. He wasn't sure if he really wanted too.

Alice slid in to the room and avoided the eyes that were watching her. Instead she looked at the one who avoided her. She took a seat by her father then groaned.

"YOU TOLD THEM!" Alice demanded and Martin shook his head.

"Not everything. Just that leaving wasn't your choice." Then Martin smirked. "Oh and that Lillian and Rosemary are yours. Whoops. You couldn't honestly think we could keep that from them. By looks alone it is obvious."

"It was a stupid request anyway." Alice said looking down at her hands.

"Why are you here Alice?" Naru asked in his business tone of voice. He didn't see why he shouldn't make this meeting more professional. His father did say that this was a case in a way after all.

Alice smirked at the business tone in her brother's voice and nodded her understanding. "My girls are a lot like the both of you. They both have abilities. Of which I am not sure of what they are. They haven't allowed me to see. All I know is that they can communicate with each other like the two of you can. And just like you had been at first, they don't communicate with any one else. They are four years old…. And I have never heard their voices. I wasn't concerned at first. The both of you didn't talk till you were three. But they are distant from me. At least with the two of you…. You never kept your distance. I believe one of them can see memories. I fear that they know what happened to me. I am here because I need the two of you to show them that…. I know they have seen my memories of you… by their actions… the seem to mimic things I had witnessed you do. Almost like an exact copy. Like when I had gotten a cold spell. They try to warm me like the two of you had. It is the only time they show a caring nature. I need them to see that they are not alone in this world. They have seen my ability. I have tried to show them that their abilities are normal…. But I fear that my memories have tainted their out look on life. Right before I came back, odd things started to happen around them. They may not talk, but they still seemed to be happy children. Now it is like they are just existing. No expressions. Just staring. I thought that going back home to mom and dad would let them see that… but…. But it wasn't enough. I left to protect you. I stayed away to protect them… but in the end I think I have caused more damage than good. Please, Oliver, Gene… if it helps to just look at this as a case then I will except that. I am not your sister, but a desperate mother seeking help for her daughters."

"Do you think they are being haunted?" Gene asked as he reached out and took her hand. Naru glared at him, but he ignored it. This was still their sister, and seeing the usually strong and bubbly woman look so broken was too much for him.

Alice smiled at him. "I'm not sure. That was my first thought. I try to read their thoughts, but just like the two of you, and Lin, I am blocked."

"You can't read Lin's thoughts…. Since when?" Martin asked with a bit of curiosity.

"From the beginning. That's why I came back from University after you hired him." Alice said with a slight blush. "I didn't trust him around my baby brothers if I couldn't read his mind. I didn't want some one there who was just there for a paycheck and not my brother's best interests."

She glanced up at Lin who had quickly looked away from her. He had known she couldn't read his mind. He just didn't realize it had been since their first meeting. He wasn't informed of her ability till Gene let it slip about a week after she had decided to stay home and invade his lessons with the boys. He then blocked her with a charm he made that day. So when she had gotten angry with him the next day and asked why she couldn't read his mind he thought the charm had worked. He never realized she had been voicing her annoyance since she had met him.

"Are any of the others blocked from you?" Lin asked as he glanced over at her.

Alice nodded. "The little brunette that made the tea."

Gene chuckled and not so subtly nudged his twin's elbow. "Looks like another thing to add to our little Mai's abilities. Good thing huh."

Naru had to hold back an urge to strangle his brother at that moment. He glanced up at the sound of his sister's giggles. He met her eye and then fought the urge to smile. Even if he was still angry with her, he had missed the sound of her laughter.

"Oh I don't have to read her mind to know what she is thinking." Alice said as her smirk turned mischievous. " She wears her emotions on her sleeve."

"Do you want our help or not?" Naru asked with a glare. Gene nudged him again.

"Your threats never worked on her. Stop trying. We already know you gave in and we are going to help." Gene got to his feet and surprising everyone, climbed into the woman's lap like he had done many times before as a child. He wrapped his arms around her and placed his cheek on the top of her head. "Welcome home Ali."

Alice wrapped her arms around him as if her life depended on it and hugged him tightly. "Thank you Gene."

Naru huffed in annoyance and got to his feet. He walked around his desk till he was standing behind his sister and placed his head on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around them both. Alice couldn't hold back the tears any longer as she felt Naru hug her and openly cried in her brothers' arms.

"You're home now Alice." Naru whispered in her ear. "Let us protect you for once."


	2. Tantrums

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ghost Hunt.**

**AN: I hope the twins actions in the last chapter didn't confuse any one. I am going to have a bit of a flashback in this chapter that will shine a bit of light on the matter. Mostly to show the relationship Alice once had with her brothers and Lin before she had left. Thank you for reading!**

Lin knew he was acting a bit childish in the recent situation. But seeing the Davis twins comfort their sister, in the same manner they had done as children, annoyed him. He hadn't expected to just walk out of the office. He thought he had his emotions more in check. Seeing her again after all these years seemed to affect him more than he would ever admit. But as he slammed his office door behind him, he realized how childish he had looked. Like a toddler throwing a tantrum. Or Naru not getting his way.

"Damn it!" Lin growled held his face in his hands. Martin had been right. Alice had once been his closest friend. Probably the closest any one had gotten to him. Then one morning she was gone. There was no explanation. Nothing to ease his mind. For years he had believed she had run from him. That he had done something to push the girl away for the last time. He wasn't going to deny that he had given the girl a hard time. Even as they became close friends. He didn't make it easy on her. His young mind wouldn't allow him to believe that she was an actual friend. The guilt he felt as his young charges worried over their missing sister was almost unbearable. Then as their worry turned into anger, he did nothing to squash those feeling from their minds.

But now she was here. In the room next door, and he was sure she heard his out burst. He was sure they all had.

How could the twins forgive her so easily, yet he still held a grudge. She had abandoned them. Even if not by her own choice. They had heavily relied on her presence. She had been their only constant figure in their lives. And then she was just gone. She didn't feel the backlash of her absence. He had.

"Damn her." Lin growled under her breath as a knock came to his office door.

"Come in." He said a little rougher than he had meant. He looked up and felt the urge to roll his eyes at the young man standing up against the door frame. But he kept his face emotionless.

"Done with the tantrum?" Naru said with a slight smirk on his face. The fact that Lin had allowed himself to even throw a tantrum was quite comical to him.

Lin didn't feel the need to reply as he went to his desk and sat down in front of his computer. Naru walked the rest of the way into the office and closed the door behind him. He had seen the rest of the SPR crew watching with curious eyes, and they didn't have any right to pry. Not in this. Not when Alice was concerned. He of all people understood why Lin had been so upset.

"Do you need time off?"

"No!" Lin growled. Naru raised an eyebrow at him and he sighed. "If she really is back for good. I can't avoid her."

Naru nodded. "We aren't going to let her go this time. Are you able to handle that?"

Lin glared over at the younger man. Was he warning him that they would chose Alice over him? Of course they would. She was still their sister, and by the paychecks he still got from Martin, he was just an employee.

Naru just nodded at the man's silence. He started to head out the door, but before he opened it, he turned back to his friend. "We wouldn't have been able to cope, if you hadn't have been there… just… try talking to her… your presence unnerves her, just as much as her's does to you."

"Tell Gene thanks for his input." Lin said, knowing the last words didn't belong to Naru. Gene had clearly been in his twins head for the conversation. Naru smirked and nodded his head as he finally left Lin to stew on his own.

"Mai…" Naru said as he left Lin's office. She jumped off the couch she had been sitting on with Monk and quickly rushed to his side. "Lin is going to need some tea."

She nodded and started to walk away from him, but he grabbed her wrist. She looked down at his hand with a slight blush on her cheeks. Naru couldn't help but smirk at that. She had demanded that her feelings for him were gone when he returned. But her cheeks always gave her away. Alice had been right. She wore her emotions on her sleeve. He placed a gentle figure under her chin and raised her head so their eyes met. "He is going to need your special touch. Something to calm him."

With out asking questions, even though he saw them in her eyes, she nodded. He let go of her and headed back to his office. Ignoring the glares he was receiving from his overprotective SPR members. He wasn't surprised to see the same glare coming from his brother.

_Stay out of my head if you don't like what you see. _Naru warned.

_Stop playing with her emotions and I would stay out. _Gene warned back.

It had been a couple days since Alice had returned. The SPR seemed to be on edge as the tension between the Davis family and Lin increased. Lin's toxic mood was also causing issues around the office. The things he had usually been able to ignore was now grinding his gears. And no one was safe from an angry outburst. Not even Mai had been safe. Her clumsy nature had spilled the tea she had brought him and he quickly voiced his annoyance. Mai left in a fit of tears and was soon replaced by Naru. Not even he could get Lin's temper under control.

"We are heading to Alice's house in a couple hours. If you don't get yourself under control…. You aren't coming!" Naru threatened.

"You cant ground me like a child!" Lin demanded.

"I can if you are acting like one!" Naru demanded. "And before you even try the whole 'you don't sign my paycheck' line with me. Father left me in charge to make that call. So till this case is over, I do have a say in if you will be going."

With that Naru stormed back out of the office. "And apologize to Mai!"

Lin pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Mai."

He wasn't even sure if the girl had been able to hear him. But soon she was cautiously poking her head around his door.

"Oh no! Do you have a headache! Lin, why didn't you say so!" Mai said in a fit of concern as she walked up to him and placed a cool hand on his forehead. He did seem to feel a bit warm. "I'll be right back. Close your eyes and I'll turn your light off on my way out."

She turned to leave, but stopped for a moment when Lin called out to her. She just smiled sweetly at him and shook her head. "It's ok. Now close your eyes."

Mai left and turned off the light and she had promised. A few minutes later he heard her reenter the room. She set a tray down in front of him and walked up behind his chair. He was about to ask her what she was doing when gentle fingers started to massage his temples. He at once realized that this was not Mai. He tensed and she shushed him.

"Mai said you had a headache." Alice's soft voice said as she ran her hands gently though his hair letting her nails gently scratch across his scalp. "I figured this would be a bit awkward for her to do. So I offered to bring you the tea she had made. I must admit she is better at it than I am. And before you reprimand her, she is to innocent or naïve to realize you have a problem with me."

Lin knew he should have moved away from her touch, but she was slowly relieving the throbbing pain in his head. "You still have that magic touch."

He didn't have to open his eyes to know she was smiling down at him.

"You have to know…. I just wanted to say…." Alice wasn't sure what she could say to him. She knew he was still going to be mad at her. Even if he was allowing her to touch him. It was just so she could relieve his pounding head. "Thank you for being there when I couldn't be."

"Some one had to be there to pick up their broken hearts." Lin said and he felt Alice shiver for a second. "Lillian and Rosemary…"

"Not that I am aware off." Alice said with a sigh.

"You were attacked… weren't you?" Lin asked and he felt a tear fall onto his face. He opened his eyes to see her big blue ones looking back at him as if her whole world was broken.

"Not the way you are thinking." Alice said as she pulled her hands away from him. Lin sat up in his chair and turned it to face her.

"Why didn't you come find me?" Lin asked and by the glare she was sending his way, she had. But he hadn't been alone. He looked down guiltily. "I would have been there if you had let me."

Alice shook her head. "No… you wouldn't have been."

Lin looked up at her in realization. "Alice, you realize I was just angry. I didn't…. I never meant it."

_Twenty year old Alice sat in her usual spot by the window, as Lin did his best to get the two twelve year old boys to concentrate. Today they seemed to be a bit more distracted than usual. He was sure it had to do with the small hand mirror Alice had hidden in the seat next to her. He pretended he hadn't noticed. She always got upset if he put a stop to her shenanigans before she even started them. _

_A bright blinding light hit his eye and he could hear her quiet giggles. When the light disappeared, he glared up at her. "Don't you think you should be studying for your own test?" _

_Alice smiled and bit her plump lower lip as she shook her head at him. "I'm bored with studying for now." _

_"Me too!" Gene demanded. _

_"Nice try." Lin said as he brought the boys attention back to his work with a stern glare. Oliver on the other hand looked more annoyed about having his studying disturbed. _

_"Come on Lin. They have been studying for hours. Let them go be boys for an hour." Alice said as she shivered a bit. Oliver rolled his eyes and walked over to his sister. Gene quickly followed after. The older twin crawled into Alice's lap as the younger stood behind her and wrapped his arms around both his siblings. _

_"Your cold spells are getting more frequent." Oliver said with a bit of concern._

_"Maybe the great genius Oliver Davis will become a doctor and fix my cold spells for me." Alice teased as she squeezed his arm in reassurance. "I promise. I am ok."_

_"One day, you'll let us protect you as much as you protect us." Gene said as the Davis mother walked into the room. _

_"Another cold spell again sweet heart?" Luella asked with concern. She smiled at the scene in front of her and ran a loving hand over her twin boys heads. "Lunch is ready. Go wash up." _

_"That goes for the two of you as well." Luella teased the two older children in the room. She followed the twins out of the room and smirked over her shoulder at the other two. _

_"You have fun with the two brats." Alice said with a smirk as she tossed a hard candy over at Lin. Her pockets always seemed to be stuffed full of sweets. _

_"Where are you going?" Lin asked as he unwrapped it and placed the sweet into his mouth. _

_"I have a lunch date." Alice squealed and did a happy dance. "Don't give me that look. I am aloud to date."_

_Lin crossed his arms and looked away from her. _

_"You have her… you have no right to be angry with me." Alice said as she threw another candy at him. _

_"Good thing I do." Lin growled back at her. "You cant seem to make up your mind on what you want."_

_Alice sighed. "I knew it was a bad idea."_

_Lin turned his attention back to her. "You were."_

_With that Lin walked out of the room. _

_Later that night, a worried Martin lead his daughter down the hall towards the younger man's room. But when he realized the man was not alone, he had noticed too late. _

_"Take me back to the office." Alice said in a weak voice. "He will only blame himself anyway. I am already worried about Oliver. I cant worry about his reaction too."_


	3. Stories

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ghost Hunt.**

Alice was nervous as she led her brothers, Lin and Ma into her house. It was a small three bed bedroom with a small kitchen, living room and one bathroom. It was a lot smaller than the home she had grown up in. She could see the look of disbelief on her brothers' faces. Even Lin looked a bit surprised.

"When I left… I started over." Alice said with a slight blush.

"I think this place is lovely." Mai said as she smacked Gene in the back of the head. He blushed and rubbed the sore spot.

"Yeah, it's a nice home." Gene said to his elder sister then brought Mai into a head lock. "I was getting there!"

"You were being slow about it." Mai said as she pushed the boy away and quickly started to fix her hair.

"Are you two done?" Naru said as he crossed his arms and glared over at them. "We have work to do."

As he walked past his brother and assistant, both stuck their tongues out at his back. Lin smacked Gene in the back of the head, a little harder than Mai just had. He then flicked Mai's nose. She huffed at him and crossed her arms, but Alice could see the girl try to hide a smirk.

"Are they always like this?" Alice said to her father as she watched the scene with amusement.

Martin shrugged. "I do believe Oliver is usually the one to get smacked. But I don't believe Lin usually scolds Mai."

"I like her." Alice said with a slight twinkle in her eye.

Martin smirked and gave his daughter a knowing wink. "Your mother and I do too."

"Are we going to sit around and talk? Or can we start setting things up?" Naru asked as he glared at his Father and older sister. He had heard their conversation and had a feeling Martin was going to say something about him. The last thing he needed was for Alice to start teasing him about his assistant.

Mai quickly walked up to Naru's side and smiled sweetly up at him. "Where would you like us to start?"

He glanced down at her for a moment before he looked up at his brother and Lin. "Lin will set up base. Gene set up the cameras. Mai… tea."

Mai huffed and stomped her foot at him. "I can do more than make tea you know!"

Naru glared down at her, but she was soon saved by Alice. The woman walked up to the young girl and intertwined her arm with hers.

"This will give us a bit of girl time." Alice said as she winked at her brother. He started to protest, but Alice wasn't having it. "She does make the most delightful tea."

Naru started to protest again, but the sound of the other three men chuckling behind him caused him to stop and turn his attention back to them. "Let's get to work."

"Didn't think that one through… did you." Gene chuckled as he grabbed a box full of the cameras and walked away from his twin.

"Don't know why you're laughing Lin." Naru snarled. "Who is the most talkative and knows too much about you?"

Lin's smirk quickly turned into a frown. This was going to be bad for the both of them. Lin sighed and headed for the spare bedroom that Alice had said they could set up base. As he made his way down the hallway he could hear Gene talking to some one. Lin froze when he saw the eldest twin talking to Alice's daughters. They were split images of each other. Having shared many looks with their mother. The same long black hair, big blue eyes, rosy cheeks and full pouty lips. The girls looked over Gene's shoulder and set their gaze on Lin. They stared at him for a moment before turning and walking back to their room.

"They act more like robots than children." Naru commented as he looked over at his twin. "It's almost unnatural how in sync they are."

Gene huffed. "I think the two of you scared them."

Lin fought the urge to roll his eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, and made his way into the spare bedroom. Leaving Gene and Naru to take notes on what they had all just witnessed. He felt a bit uneasy being in Alice's home. He didn't exactly feel unwelcomed, but there was definitely something unsettling. He quickly got to work setting up the monitors and took a seat in front of them when he was done. This was going to be a long case.

* * *

Mai giggled as she sat at the kitchen table as Alice cooked the group something to eat. She had refused to let Mai do anything but make tea. Saying that she enjoyed cooking for her family. She then proceeded to entertain the girl with stories of her brothers.

"Covered in mud!" Mai said clearly enjoying the latest story. "All three them!"

Alice's eyes twinkled as she nodded. "I later found out that Oli had tripped Gene and he fell into a large mud puddle. He was so mad that he tackled Oli and they started to fight. By the time Lin had got to them and pulled them apart, he had slipped a couple times and was covered as well."

Mai held her sides as she laughed. She couldn't see Naru getting dirty, let alone Lin. "I bet Lin was furious!"

Alice giggled as well. "It was the first time I had seen him use his shiki. He had been so upset with them, that he had his familiars hold them in their chairs as he yelled at them. It was also the first time I had seen Lin lose his temper."

Mai smiled and tried to imagine what it would have been like to know the Davis twins as children. She guessed they hadn't changed much.

Mai smiled sadly up at the woman. "Lin must have been so different back then. He doesn't usually talk. He just does what Naru tells him to do."

Alice sighed. "My brother seems to have gotten more serious and guarded since I left. I haven't even seen him smile since I've been back."

"Naru can smile?" Mai said in playful shock.

"I do when I have a reason too." Naru said as he walked into the kitchen. "Mai, I'd like you to go talk with the girls. Children seem more susceptible to you. Might be the same IQ thing."

"Not every one can be a genius you know!" Mai spat at him and shook her fist in his face. "I'd rather have a personality, than be a genius and have the personality of a rock!"

Mai stomped out of the room and Alice tried her hardest to his her smirk behind her hands. "I like her."

Naru rolled his eyes. He smirked back at his sister and headed to the base. Lin was going to have a heart attack when he found out he had been the main topic of the girls conversation. It was a good thing they weren't staying the night in the house. After was done talking to the girls, they would eat, then head out for the night. If he was a mischievous man, he would have requested Lin stay to watch the monitors. But he wasn't in the mood to die by the Chinese man's hands.

* * *

Gene woke in a sweat. He couldn't remember the dream he had just woken from. He knew it was a Mai dream. Even though he was no longer her spirit guide, he still seemed to be drawn into her dreams on occasion.

He looked up at Naru, who was looking over at him with a bit of concern in his eyes. Gene never opened up about still being pulled into Mai's dreams. Knowing that the younger twin would be upset about their connection. But he knew that Naru had figured it out. He was the genius after all.

"I don't remember it." Gene said as he rubbed at his eyes. Hoping it would bring even the sliver of a memory back. Naru nodded and turned back to attempt to sleep. Gene knew better. He was going to wait till he was asleep again, then sneak out to check on Mai. He wished his brother would just give in, instead of messing with the girl's emotions.

Gene got to his feet and Naru glanced back over at his brother with a questioned look on his face. "I'm not going to allow you to spy on her any more."

With that Naru sat up on his elbows and glared at his twin. Gene rolled his eyes. "Mai is like a sister to me. And you are confusing her. It isn't fair to her, that you can't decide what you want. I was quiet long enough out of respect. But I can't see that hurt look in her eyes any longer. If you can't make up your mind, then I am going to make sure you stay away from her till you do."

Gene started to pack a bag and Naru finally got out of bed. "What are you doing?"

"Moving in with Mai." Gene growled back. He looked up to see his brother glaring at him. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, brother. We both told you our feeling for each other were more like brother and sister. You are the one who wont look past it."

"Feelings can change." Naru growled back. Gene froze and glanced at the door, where he was sure Lin was standing on the other side.

"You don't know the hole story." Gene said shaking his head. "None of us do. You can't assume she loved him. You had blamed him for months, but got over it."

"My room was next to his." Naru said with a raised eyebrow. "I heard enough."

Gene rolled his eyes. "Then I guess you know what you have to do then don't you. But until then, you can just stay away and pout from a distance."

Gene flung open the door to find Lin standing there with a set of car keys in his hands. He held them out to Gene, who took them gratefully. He looked over his shoulder at his twin and shook his head.

"He is hopeless." Gene said with a heavy sigh. "Mai and I will meet you guys at Alice's house later. Hopefully nothing bad happened tonight."

Lin shook his head and Gene couldn't help but smirk. He must have left one of his shiki to watch over them. When Gene left the apartment, Lin set his gaze on the younger twin.

"What do you think you heard back then?" Lin asked and Naru shrugged.

"You and your girlfriend mostly… but one night it wasn't your girlfriend's voice." Naru said setting a glare over at the Chinese man. "Then it was your girlfriend again. What was I supposed to think when she left?"

Lin glared at his young charge. "I knew you blamed me. And I let you. I blamed myself anyway. Why not let you do the same."

Lin turned and walked away. He mentally kicked himself for not thinking about Naru's room being next to his. The poor kid probably heard way more than he ever should have.


	4. Laughter

Mai groaned at the persistent knocking on her front door. She was tempted to make him stay out there all morning, but knew he wouldn't stop knocking.

"Don't you have a twin brother to annoy? Or a long lost sister to pester?" Mai called to the door as she slowly walked up to it. She unlocked the door and opened it to see Gene smiling back at her. She looked down at the bags in his hands and shut the door on him.

"Oh come on Mai!" Gene opened the door himself and walked in. He placed the bags on the floor and quickly made himself at home on her couch.

"It is 4:00 in the morning." Mai said setting a stern look his way. He just gave her another smile. "You know where the extra blankets and pillows are. I am going back to bed."

"Thanks Mai." He said as he quickly got to his feet and headed to the small closet in the living room.

"You are lucky I love you, or I would have let you sleep on my welcome mat out side." Mai retorted as she glanced over her shoulder at him.

Gene let out a dramatic gasp. "Don't let Naru hear you say that! He would have both our heads!"

Mai just rolled her eyes. "Like he isn't already poking around in your head listening in."

She walked back over to Gene, grabbed his face in her hands and gave him a stern look. "Naru, what ever you did, apologize and take your brother back!"

Gene chuckled and shook his head. "You know it doesn't work that way."

"Well it should. Remind me to corner him when his bodyguard is to busy avoiding your sister." Mai said with a yawn. "Now go back to your temporary bed. If you so much as cough you are going back outside."

Gene smiled sweetly at the girls retreating back and sighed heavily. _You are an idiot. And I know you heard her. I can feel your rage even across town._

_Just love rubbing it in don't you. _Naru growled back.

Gene sighed. _If you cant see how crazy that girl is about you, them you don't deserve her. _

_And you do? _Naru could no longer hold back the anger in his voice. He was more than angry that his twin and Mai had become close. He watched their playful banter and fighting everyday for a year since they had returned. And Mai still had a hard time looking him in the eye. He was starting to realize how jealous he had become of his brother.

_You broke her heart. _Gene said softly. _You cant expect her to forgive that so easily. You questioned her feelings, then denied her the chance to give you an answer. Then took off. _

_You don't have to remind me. I was there. _Naru growled back.

_Do you think that's why Lin is closer with her? He understands. _Gene asked. He swore he felt Naru roll his eyes. _She reminds me a lot of Alice. _

_That's why I hired her. _Naru admitted. He had never told any one about how Mai had reminded him of his sister. He had seen the way Lin had kept his distance from the girl at first, but could tell he had seen it too. In a way, he hoped the girl could would be good for Lin. Bringing him out of his five year mood swing. He just never thought the girl would end up meaning something to him. He tried to see her as a surrogate sister. But by the time he realized he would never see her that way, it was too late. He had already grown feeling for her.

_That's really sweet. _Gene teased and Naru growled at him. _Hey, you invaded my head first. Should have blocked me before you headed down love struck lane._

_Shut up and go to sleep. _Naru said and this time did what his brother had suggested and blocked him out.

* * *

Naru groaned as he heard his brother's voice in his head later that morning. _And then I saw her face. Now I'm a believer. _

_I will find you and murder you. _Naru threatened and Gene chuckled. Naru looked over at his alarm clock and sent a visual of himself smacking his twin. Gene had woken him twenty minutes before his alarm clock should have gone off.

He rolled himself out of bed and got dressed. He glanced over at Gene's bed and glared at it. It hadn't been the first time Gene had left to sleep at Mai's house. It was probably an every other week occurrence. But this time he had packed a bag. He knew Naru didn't like being alone again. After getting Gene back, he was constantly with his twin. Having him threaten to leave for longer than a night wasn't sitting well with him. He didn't like to be alone again.

Naru quickly put the thoughts out of his head and left his room. Finding Lin already up and looking about as rested as he felt.

"He wake you up before your alarm as well?" Naru asked with a slight smirk.

"Set a second alarm to I'm a believer. " Lin said with a growl.

"At least he wasn't singing it in your head." Naru said and it was Lin's turn to smirk. "Do you think he was planning to leave? It's been almost three weeks this time."

Naru shook his head. "No he had planned to be here. He threatened to keep me from Mai."

Lin lifted an eyebrow and took a sip of his tea. "I am a bit surprised he hadn't done that sooner. I saw that stunt you pulled the other day when you asked her to make me tea."

"You two?" Naru asked with a groan.

Lin didn't reply, but kept firm eye contact with the younger man. Letting him know exactly what he thought of the situation.

"If she ends up telling you she loves you too, I'm kicking you out too." Naru said with a heavy sigh.

Lin couldn't help but smirk. "To be fair, she had said it to you first. You were just to stubborn to care."

Naru glared over at his guardian. "We leave in ten. Got to go check on that lovely sister of mine."

"Nicely played." Lin said glaring as Naru smirked and walked back to his room to finish getting ready.

* * *

"Shut up Gene!" Mai growled as she tried to hear what Naru was saying on the other end of the phone. Her ex spirits guide had some how gotten them lost on the way to his sister's house and had a bit of road rage along with it.

"Naru, I can't hear a word you just said because the idiot behind the wheel wont stop yelling curse words as every car he sees!" Mai yelled in frustration and Naru couldn't help but chuckle. "It isn't funny! Oh my god…. Did you just laugh! Gene! Naru just laughed. Like actual laughter!"

Gene looked at Mai as if she had just lost her mind. "Are you sure you called the right number? What kind of imposter are you! And if you are a kidnapper…. You can keep the idiot scientist."

Mai slapped Gene in the back of the head. And scolded him. Naru heard Gene yelp in pain and he couldn't help but laugh again. For some reason, Gene and Mai's bickering wasn't getting to him. Even though only a few hours ago it had made him jealous.

"For crying out loud Naru, this really isn't funny! Hand the phone to Lin. You are scaring me." Mai said and waited to hear Lin say her name before she continued. "Is Naru sick? Possessed? Did you break down and force feed him happy pills?"

"No." Lin said in his usual one liner way. But he was also having trouble not laughing about the situation. "Hand the phone to Gene. If he gets lost again, I'll come get the both of you."

Lin and Naru were sitting in the van waiting for the other two to show up. They had decided to wait for the others before they went into Alice's house. Mostly because it didn't look like any one was awake yet. And because Lin was trying to avoid seeing Alice as much as possible. The only thing that worried him, was that the shiki he had left at the house, hadn't felt his presence and returned. That wasn't like his familiars. But he wasn't going to let it bother him till it warned him of danger. It may have just been enjoying the rare time by itself.

Soon Gene was parking behind them and through the rear view mirror he could see the two were still bickering. This was going to be a long day if they had already started in and Naru was already in an annoyed mood. Even if he found their bickering comical earlier, the moment he was off the phone, those feeling quickly turned into jealousy.

"Let's get going." Naru said as he got out of the car and glared at his brother and his assistant. The two quickly quieted down at his glare and got out of the car as well. Lin tried to linger a bit longer, making sure he was picking up the rear of their group. As they entered the house, Lin was soon bombarded by a warm body crashing into his and tight arms wrapping around his middle. Alice was hugging him.

"Lin, you have no clue how happy you have made me this morning." The woman said with a bright smile. She pulled away from him and took his hand in hers. She was soon pulling him through the house. He looked over his shoulder, hoping the others knew what was going on, but they all looked as shocked as he felt.

"I should be wringing your neck for not telling me you left one of your familiars here." Alice said as she continued to pull him along till they stopped in front of her daughters room. "Listen… do you hear that?"

Lin fought through the fogginess of his confused mind as the sound of laughter filled his ears. "Laughter."

"Yes!" Alice whispered excitedly. She motioned for the rest of the group to quietly join them. "Actual laughter. Child laughter."

The group was still looking at her confused. She rolled her eyes and explained. "I have never heard them laugh like children. It was always forced. When I first heard it, I thought there was a spirit in there. But then I opened the door a crack and witnessed this."

Alice opened the door and smiled. Most of the group still looked a bit confused. To them the girls were running around the room, playing tag with am invisible force. Mai and Lin were the only ones who could see Lin's shiki flying through the air between the two girls. It would twirl around them every so often or slide under their legs.

Lin was in complete shock at what he was seeing. He had never seen one of his shiki playful. But there it was, enjoying the giggles and fond parting it was getting from the girls. It seemed to feel Lin's presence and stopped its little dance around Lillian. It looked over at Lin and quickly made it's way back to him as if it thought it was in trouble.

"Awe." Both girls said in protest. They set a hard glare at Lin and crossed their arms.

Lin looked down at Alice to see her smile slowly fading. He smirked and sent his familiar back into the room. The girls at once squealed in delight and started to play with it once more. He could feel a couple of his other shiki poke at him and with a roll of his eyes he allowed them into the room as well. The girls spun around to face him and smiled.

"More!" They both squealed and Alice gasped next to him. A tear escaped as she jumped into Lin's arms. She kissed his cheek and hugged him tighter.

"You got them to speak!" She said excitedly. He was about to wrap his arms around her, when she pulled away and rushed into the room with her girls.

Naru patted Lin's shoulder in understanding and lead the rest of the group to the base. He knew his friend was going to need a bit of time to compose himself. But he was surprised to find that Lin had followed them.

_Looks like you aren't the only stubborn one. _Gene said as he smirked knowing over at his twin.


	5. Mai Tea

Lin sat in front of the monitors and did his best to avoid the others in the room. His eyes fixed on the screen that had the twin girls' room on it. They were both sitting on their beds and petting the shiki that lay calmly next to them. He was a bit surprised by how his familiars reacted to the girls. When he had told the one he had left behind to keep the girls safe. It was possible that it had sensed what was going on with them, and thought entertaining them was keeping them safe.

"I have never seen them so comfortable." Mai said as she sat down next to Lin. "Have they acted that way before?"

"No." Lin admitted and Mai nodded. He could tell there was something on the girls mind. He raised an eyebrow at her and she sighed. She glanced back at Gene and Naru before she continued.

"I had a dream last night as I'm sure you figured out." Mai said nervously. "It was about their birth mother."

Lin's eyes widened in surprises he looked at the young brunette. He glanced over at the Davis twins. A little worried about the oldest twin.

"I don't think Gene remembers it." Mai said with a sigh. "I know he was with me. I could feel him there. But I hope this is one time he doesn't get pulled with me. Lin…. It was awful. And Alice…. She almost didn't make it in time."

"What do you mean?" Lin asked the girl in confusion. Alice had always demanded she knew nothing of where she and the boys had come from. Or how they had ended up in an American orphanage.

"I think I need to talk to Alice before I bring up this dream. But I don't want to do it alone. And I don't want Gene or Naru there." Mai said looking down at her hands. "I know it's a lot to ask….. but would you…."

"Yes." Lin replied and Mai's eyes shot up at him in complete shock. She nodded with that bright smile of hers and quickly walked away to find Alice.

Lin went back to watching the monitors but found the girls' room empty. He quickly checked the other monitors. But the girls where no where to be seen. He was about to call his shiki when he felt his familiars poke at him. Letting him know that all was ok, and the girls were right next to him. He glanced over to his left at the spot Mai had just left. There sat the two girls, sharing a chair and watching him.

Naru and Gene held back a snicker as he watched their nieces sneak up on their guardian. They weren't surprised when they saw him glance over at them as if he had known they were already there. Both Davis boys were well aware of Lin's thoughts on children and were waiting for the man to flee from the room. But he did the opposite. He nodded at them and went back to watching the screens.

"I'm Lillian." The girl sitting closest to him said with a shy smile.

"I'm Rosemary." The other girl said and matched her twins shy smile.

"Lin." Lin replied with out even glancing over at them. He knew it was a big deal that the girls were talking, but he also knew that Naru and Gene were watching. He wouldn't have to document their conversation when the other two would.

"I thought your name was Koujo." Rosemary said with a confused look. Lin looked down at the girl and gave a slight nod. "Then why did you say it was Lin?"

"My last name is Lin. And every one calls me by it." Lin replied and both girls looked at each other as if having a silent conversation between them. Something he had seen multiple times with Naru and Gene.

"You used to be friends with mommy." Lillian said and Lin once again nodded. "You used to talk a lot with mommy. Why don't you talk now?"

Lin glanced over his shoulder at Naru and Gene. He wasn't sure if he was looking for an escape route or for permission to answer. But either way, the two older twins weren't offering him any kind of help. Naru sat back with that same emotionless look on his face while Gene held a slight smirk on his lips.

Lillian reached out and placed her hand on Lins. "You had made mommy sad. But you didn't mean it."

Lin quickly took his hand away from the girl. She didn't seem surprised by his reaction. She simply smiled and whispered something in her sisters ear that caused both girls to giggle.

They got to their feet and waved good bye to him. Rosemary waving his shiki over to them. Lin felt them poke at him again and with a heavy sigh, he allowed them once again to accompany the girls.

"Thank you Lin!" The girls said in unison as they quickly headed down the hall. "Hi mommy! Hi Mai!"

Lin cringe when he had heard the girls' greeting in the hall. If Mai and Alice were in the hallway, there was a good chance they had heard them thank him. A few seconds later Mai and Alice walked in with curious looks on their faces and their eyes quickly landed on Lin.

"For some one who isn't a fan of kids, you sure do attract their attention." Mai said as she playfully teased the Chinese man. He sent a quick glare her way and then went back to the monitors.

"So what was all that about?" Alice asked as she looked around the room. No one answered her and she glared over at her youngest brother. "Did you only bring the ones I couldn't read to annoy me or because you are trying to hide something?"

Gene snickered behind his hand and tried his best to cover it up with a cough.

"What do you mean by read?" Mai asked, sounding a bit nervous.

"Our dear sister can read minds." Gene said wiggling his eyes at Mai as her cheeks started to redden. "But don't worry Mai, my love, she cant read yours. You have a natural block like the rest of us. Aren't you one lucky girl."

Mai rolled her eyes and handed a cup of tea to Naru before sitting down between the twins. She was starting to wonder if Gene had a death wish with how bad he had been teasing Naru lately. She knew Naru was less likely to attack if she was between them. Or at least she hoped.

"Hey! Roomie, where is mine!" Gene asked as Naru smirked behind his cup and took a sip.

"Don't start calling me that! You are going back home tonight! I don't care if I have to have Lin hog tie you and throw you in the trunk." Mai demanded. "You. Are. Going. Home."

Gene gasped dramatically and looked over at Lin. "Lin would never!"

Lin turned in his chair to give the boy a look that read he would in fact do that then turned back to the monitors.

"Traitor!" Gene said under his breath as he crossed his arms with a pout. He then turned his attention over to his twin. "Ali has a good point. Why didn't you bring any one else with us?"

If Mai didn't know any better, she could have sworn Naru about choked on his tea before grabbing his composure and glaring over at his brother.

_Now who is the traitor. _Naru growled and received a smirk from his brother.

"Since we are considering this a case, there could be things that could jeopardize things if Alice read it from any one before we could talk about it." Naru answered in his business voice. He then glanced up at his sister and let the smallest smirk slide onto his lips. "It is also fun knowing Alice cant use her abilities on any one in this room."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Still the same little brat I remember. I was starting to think you had forgotten to have fun. But since you are obviously not going to tell me anything, I'm stealing Mai and Lin for a few."

Alice pulled a hard candy out of her pocket and threw it at the back of Lin's head. It hit him and bounced off, hitting the floor. Lin didn't turn around at first, knowing there was a smile trying to creep across his lips. He quickly put his stoic facial expression back in place and turned to face the woman.

"Looks like that stick in the mud forgot though." Alice said with a playful look in her eye as she reached her hands out to Mai and nodded towards Lin. Mai giggled remembering the mud puddle story and took the woman's hands and allowed her to pull her to her feet.

"Lin needs to man the monitors." Naru said with a slight glare at his sister.

"Well it looks like you and Gene are perfectly free at the moment." Alice replied giving her brother a small wink. "Don't tell me you can't function with out him up your butt."

Mai and Gene burst into a fit of giggles as Naru glared at them. They didn't even seem to notice the temperature in the room drop a few degrees.

"I'll be back." Lin said as he picked up the candy that he had been assaulted with only a few moments ago and got to his feet. He set a stern look on his face and Naru finally gave in. If Lin was okay with being around Alice, there wasn't much he could do about it.

"Fine." Naru growled and took a seat where Lin had just been sitting.

"Hey Mai, when you come back…" Gene started, but the girl threw her nose in the air and crossed her arms.

"No."

Gene pouted, but when that didn't work he snapped his fingers and smiled. "Oh I get it. I'm asking wrong."

Gene cleared his throat and gave her his best Naru impression. "Mai….Tea!"

"Make it yourself 'roomie'." Mai said and quickly led the way out of the room.

The moment she was gone Gene nudged his brother's elbow with his. "Looks like that way only works if it's you. How did you get tea in the first place?"

Naru smirked and held his phone up for him to see. It was just one simple text.

**Mai. Tea.**

Gene then rolled his eyes. When he said he was going to keep his brother away from Mai, he had over looked the fact that he could still text or call her. He then started to wonder if he could convince Mai to change her number.

* * *

Alice followed Mai into the kitchen and smirked as she watched the girl set a kettle on the stove. She was way too nice. If it had been her, she would have stuck with what she said and Gene would be making his own tea.

"Gene took Noll's phone and texted her to bring tea when she went back." Lin whispered in Alice's ear when she was about to protest.

Alice smirked. She had been wondering about the girl since she had met her. She had seen Lin's small show of affection towards the girl that first day, and it made her a bit jealous. Lin had never been one to show affection. Then he saw how she fought with Gene and how close they were. She started to think Gene and Mai were a couple. That was till she saw how she avoided Naru's eye and how he watched her when he believed no one would notice. It was soon clear that they both had feeling for one another. As a bonus the girl became close friends with Gene and Lin. Even though Alice picked up a bit of jealousy vibes coming of Naru when Mai and Gene interacted. The fact that she couldn't read any of their minds was probably another reason Naru only brought them. She wouldn't be able to figure out what Mai's story was.

"Mai… Naru can wait for his tea." Lin said and Mai rolled her eyes.

"You mean Gene." Mai smirked over her shoulder at Lin. "If I make it now, it will be cold but the time it gets to him."

Lin just simply nodded and took a seat at the kitchen table with Alice across from him. Mai knew she couldn't avoid the conversation any longer and sat down next to Lin. He patted her head in reassurance and she nodded.

"Did Naru or Gene tell you about my dreams?" She waited for Amice to nod and went one. "I think I know what is going on too your daughters. But it has to do with your past, and I didn't want to bring this to Gene or Naru until I talked to you. Even though Gene had been with me, he doesn't remember."

Lin pinched the girls arm. She let out a small squeak and glanced up at him. He glared back down at her and she gasped. Alice didn't know about Gene being her spirit guide. So when she was told about her dreams. They had left Gene out of the explanation.

"You and Gene share dreams?" Alice said in a bit of confusion.

"Part of him being a medium." Lin explained quickly.

"What does my past have to do with this?" Alice asked as she paled. She was starting to regret allowing Lin to sit in on this conversation.

"Your birth mother." Mai said timidly. "I saw…. I saw what she had tried to do to Gene. And what…. And what Naru had done."

Alice gasped. "You saw everything. They can never find out!"

"They might need to know to help with Lillian and Rosemary." Mai said as she gave Alice a sympathetic look. "Your daughters are being harassed by a spirit. Your birth mother's spirit. The reason they acted they way they did was a form of protection they seemed to have come up with. They shut themselves in and block out the supernatural. My guess is that the reason they are talking and playing now is because Lin's familiars are keeping the spirits away. But I'm worried that with how angry your mother is, she will eventually break through the shiki's protection."

Alice wiped away a tear. "I have been protecting them from this for so long. I never thought protecting them would keep hurting my girls."

"You aren't hurting them." Lin said in a stern voice. Alice looked up at him and nodded sadly. She wasn't going to argue with him. But she felt this was the second time she had tried to protect her brothers and ended up putting her daughters in danger.

"I should probably drop that family secret on them before Gene ends up feeling her." Alice said with a heavy sigh.

"We'll be there with you too." Mai said as she reached over the table and took a hold of Alice's hand. She smiled and looked up at Lin.

"I really like this girl." She said causing Mai to blush. And to further embarrass the poor girl, Lin patted her on the head for the second time that day.

"Yeah, me too." Lin said as he smirked down at the girl.

**AN: I am not sure if it there was ever an explanation on how Gene and Naru ended up with the Davis family and I couldn't find anything. I had this back story on mind from the beginning, so I hope you all don't mind! Thanks for reading and I hope to have another update up soon. **


	6. Past

_Sora woke with a jolt. She wasn't sure what had just waken her up in the middle of the night, but what ever it was frightened her. She could still feel her heart beating hard against her ribs. _

**_Demons. They are both demons. _**_Sora felt her whole body turn to ice at the words. It wasn't the first time she had heard them in her mother's head. But it was the first time she had felt the pure hatred in the words. _

_Sora drug her self out of bed and quietly made her way down the hallway towards the bathroom. That's when she heard the soft crying of one of her brothers. _

**_Demon children. All of then. They must be taken care of. I have to take care of them. _**

_Sora threw open the door of the bathroom and froze in horror. There her mother stood with little Kenzou laying motionless in her arms. Fully clothed in his pajamas and soaking wet. Kazyua sat next to the bathtub as he silently cried. Anger evident in his small blue eyes. _

_Sora watched in horror as her mother started to lower the already soaking boy in her hands over the full bath water. "Mother no!"_

_Sora raced to her mother's side and tugged on her arm. Trying to free her brother from her arms. _

_"Get away you demon! I gave birth to demons! I have disgraced my family. My husband left because of you demons!" The woman raised her hand to her eldest daughter and let her hand connect with the girls cheek. Sending the fourteen year old girl flying into the wall behind them. _

_"Sora!" Kazyua cried out and quickly rushed over to his sister's side. He shook her a bit, knowing that his little four year old arms weren't strong enough to wake her from her daze._

_"She killing him!" Kazyua cried out and shook his sister again. "Sora help!"_

_Sora groaned as she slowly started to come around. She could hear the frightened words of her youngest brother and slowly started to get to her feet. _

_"Mother, please. Just hand me Kenzou." Sora begged as she made her way back over to her mother. Her hands reaching out for anything that could steady her on her wobbly legs. "Please. Don't hurt Kenzou."_

_Sora could feel her tears stream down her face as she tugged at her mother on more time. The woman looked down at the child in her arms. _

**_Damn it. I grabbed the wrong one. Damn demons looking identical._ **

_Sora gasped at what she heard in her mother's head. She tried again to pull Kenzou from her mother's hands. Her mother looked down at her tear filled eyes and smirked. _

_"You want me to let him go do you?" With that she dropped the child into the bath tub._

_"NO!" Sora quickly grabbed the child and pulled him out of the bathwater. She held his chest up to her ear, and was thankful the boy still had a heart beat, even if it was faint. A heart beat meant he was still alive. The room around her started to shake and she turned to see her mother had turned her attention on Kazyua. _

_"Kazyua run!" Sora called out as she held Kenzou tightly in her arms. She got to her feet as the room started to shake violently. "No, Kazyua! You could hurt all of us! Please my smart boy, just run!" _

_"She hurt Kenzou! She hurt Sora!" The young boy set his angry eyes on his mother. He stayed his ground as the woman reached out and took a hold of his small wrist. _

_"Kazyua! No!" Sora ran as fast as she could to her youngest brother. She took his other arm and pulled him out of their mother's grasp. She heard her mother scream, and the sound of wood snapping. She didn't look back. She couldn't. She held on to her two brothers and raced out of the house. Kazyua not even looking back at the damage he had just caused. Kenzou still passed out and motionless in her arms. But she didn't stop running. Not till they were at the little park down the road from their house. She then laid Kenzou down in the grass and checked for a heart beat again. This time she heard nothing _

_"Help! Please some one help!" Sora called out to the dark night. But no one came. Crying she picked up Kenzou and held Kazyua tightly to her side. "Hold on tight Kazyua. I'm either going to save us or kill us, but I have to try."_

_She felt Kazyua wrap his small arms around her leg. His hold not as tight as she would have liked, but she was sure using as much power as he had, had weakened his small body. _

_"Please let this work." Sora said as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She slowly let her breath out, and as she did she felt a jerking sensation. As she slowly opened her arms she felt Kazyua's arms slip from her leg. She bent down and picked him up. He was out cold. A bit of blood running out of his nose. He must have been trying to hold on to consciousness from the time they had left the house. _

_"Help! Please help!" Sora called out again. This time she was heard. A couple people raced over to her. As they made it to her side she gave them an address and passed out. _

_Sora woke with a pounding headache. Where ever she was, the people were loud. Their thoughts buzzing around in her head like bees. _

_The last thing she remembered quickly coming back to her Sora shot up in the bed she had been laying in. Her brothers. She had to find her brothers. Were they still alive. _

_"Wow, little lady, not so quickly. You'll get sick." She heard a woman say next to her. Sora opened her eyes to see a young nurse next to her. "My… my brothers…"_

_The woman gave her a sympathetic look and Sora's heart sank. Her mind going to the worst. She quickly attempted to read the woman's thoughts. But with every one else's thoughts buzzing through the air, she couldn't make out the one she needed. _

_"They are in the room across the hall. Do you remember what happened to you? How you got here?" The woman asked and Sora shivered. She brought her knees to her chest and shook her head. The woman nodded. _

_"Do you remember your name?" _

_Sora looked down at her feet and shivered again. "Sora…Sora…"_

_She didn't want to say her last name. She didn't want her mother to find her or her brothers. The woman sighed heavily at that. "I was afraid of that. I'll be right back."_

_The woman exited the room. A few minutes later she returned with an officer. They questioned Sora for what seemed like hours, but the girl refused to answer any question pertaining to what had happened to her or the two boys. She just shivered. Even when the boys were brought into her room. She wasn't able to answer anything. She just shivered. The boys snuggled up to her. One sitting in her lap and cuddling up to her, the other sitting next to her and wrapping his arms around his siblings. Eventually they gave up trying to get any answers, and informed them of a house that had been caved in and the woman they had found dead in the bathroom. None of the children responded to the news. The oldest claiming she couldn't remember anything. Just that the two boys were her brothers and their first names. _

_They stayed in the hospital for a couple more days as they attempted to find any relatives, but none were found. Eventually the children were moved into an orphanage. It didn't take long for a foreign couple to take a liking to the young boys. They at first refused to take on the teenage girl. But was soon informed they needed to be adopted together. So grudgingly, they took all three children home to America. _

_The new parents showered the two young boys in affection. Ignoring Sora's presence in their home all together. Sora knew they didn't want her there. She had heard it in their thoughts many times. But when Kazyua realized what was happening, the American couple got their first taste of the young boys powers. They hadn't even been in their home for more than a month. That's all it took for them to end back up in an orphanage. In a foreign country. With people who were scared of them. _

_How Luella and Martin had found them Sora wasn't sure. But when she read their thoughts and found them to be honest, she clung to them. Almost begging them to take her brothers in. Her English wasn't very good, but it was good enough to understand the words they had spoken to her that first time._

_"We cant take them, with out you two dear." Luella said with the sweetest smile Sora had ever seen. "Would you like to live in England sweet girl?"_

_Luella and Martin Davis had done just that. Adopting the three children and taking them home to London. They questioned Sora about her past, but when all the girl did was shiver, they let the questioning go and never brought it up again. _

_They renamed the three children. Saying new starts needed new names. They named the now fifteen year old Alice. And the five year old twin boys Eugene and Oliver. Sora wasn't fond of the name at first, but soon grew to love the Davis parents as her own. They took their time with all three children. Letting them come out of their shells at their own pace. It was actually the youngest Kazyua, or Oliver, that had been the first to open up. He had accidentally used his power in front of them. Instead of being frightened, they complemented him, explaining what the power was and what it was called. It was then that Sora knew she was home, and her brothers were safe._

* * *

Gene and Naru sat at the kitchen in complete shock. They had always been told that Alice couldn't remember their past, even though she should have been old enough to remember everything. Alice wiped away a tear as she looked away from her two younger brothers. She couldn't look at them, knowing she had lied to them their entire lives.

"Where did you get the last name Shibuya?" Naru asked and Alice chuckled.

"Out of all the questions you should be asking, you go with where did we get our last name?" Alice reached out and took ahold of her brothers' hands. "The nurse that had taken care of us gave us her last name. Said she couldn't have children, so her name would at least go to some one." Alice said with a fond smile. "We lived just a few blocks from the SPR office. I always wondered why Gene had chosen this town to come too. I figured it was because he felt me close by. I wasn't sure if the two of you could still find me after being gone for so long. I half expected him to show up at my door step."

"Wait! You knew Gene was here!" Naru almost growled. If that was the case. His eyes narrowed in rage. Lin was soon standing behind him with a firm hand on his shoulder.

Alice looked down at her hands. "I was sure father was keeping the accident from me. I wish he had just come to me. I knew Gene wasn't dead. I could have saved you all a lot of trouble."

"You knew! How!" Gene asked in complete shock. It was Mai's turn to try and calm one of the twins. She wrapped the boy in a warm hug. Lin tried not to groan as he felt Naru tense under his grasp. The boys emotions were already high. He didn't need Mai accidentally triggering his jealousy as well.

Alice seemed to feel the tension and cleared her throat. Her brothers quickly looked up at her. "When I had my girls, the same nurse who had taken care of us was still at the hospital. She had informed me that a young man, about sixteen had been brought to the hospital in a coma. She asked if I could come sit with him. I have a feeling she knew. So every day up till the day you woke up, I was there with you. I walked in to sit with you, when I heard you talking to Oliver… And Lin."

Alice looked away. She couldn't admit that she didn't have the courage to go into the room when she heard Lin's voice. That was admitting too much.

Gene smiled. "I think I knew you were there. Now that I think about it. I had that same warming feeling I got when we used to find you."

Naru nodded. "I had felt it too. I just figured it was because Gene was awake and we were able to communicate again. What I am wondering is why bring this up after all these years."

"I had a dream about it." Mai answered quietly. "I saw what your mother had done. And how Naru had… She is haunting Lillian and Rosemary. More like harassing them. Yelling at them and telling them they are demons. The reason they acted like robots is because they shut themselves down as protection."

Naru glanced over at his twin. "Have you felt or seen her?"

"If she knew about my ability, she may be hiding from me." Gene said with a sigh. "I don't think I'll be much help here."

Naru did his best not to groan. If Gene wasn't able to help, then he was going to have to call in another medium.

"I'll call Masako." Mai said as she got to her feet and headed out the room.

"You had better call the others in as well." Naru called after her. He then glanced over at his sister. "That should give you a bit of entertainment."

Alice smirked at her youngest brother. "What do you mean my smart boy, I don't seem to understand what your implying."

Naru just narrowed his eyes at her. "Let me elaborate, before one of those idiots come in with their moronic thoughts. When Gene was in a coma, he was Mai's spirit guide. He helped her with multiple cases. He came to her in her dreams. Pretending to be me."

"I was not pretending!" Gene protested. "She saw me. Assumed I was you, and I enjoyed her small rants about how you were a self centered, know it all narcissist. So I never corrected her."

Alice started to see the pieces slowly coming together. "You two are still connected. And for some reason Oliver is jealous of this. I'm guessing there are feeling there little brother."

Alice wiggled her eyebrows at Naru causing Lin and Gene to chuckle.

"Oh Alice, you are going to love this one!" Gene started and Naru glared at his twin. Gene just shook his head. "Cats out of the bag, idiot scientist. And if we don't tell her, she is going to get the wrong idea from her friends. So it's either get your neck wrung now or later."

Naru just scowled and crossed his arms as he let his brother continue.

"Ok, so the day before we went back to London, our dear little Mai confessed her undying love for this idiot scientist." Gene said clearly enjoying this retelling more than he probably should. "And do you know what this moron did? Your smart boy isn't so smart just so you know. You should probably give me that nickname after you hear this."

"Go on." Alice said as she leaned closer to her brother. Also clearly enjoying the retelling of this story.

"He asked her and I quote." Gene cleared his throat and did his best Naru impression. "Me or Gene… canyon believe him! Completely broke the girls heart. We'll she didn't reply and Naru being the stubborn ass he could be, took that as the answer being me. So he left. Didn't even tell any one and we all returned to London. A year later the idiot realized his mistake and Walla, here we are. Him still being a stubborn ass, me trying to be the good best friend to the girl he loves, and poor Lin just getting stuck in the middle. But we all know he is not so secretly on team Mai."

Alice chuckled and playfully messed up Gene's hair. "You my dear funny boy, may be right about needing to change Oliver's nickname. Naru does seem to fit him nicely. Am I guessing correctly that the girl gave it to him."

Lin and Gene nodded as Naru kept pouting. Alice then reached over and smacked him in the back of the head.

"Ouch, what was that for!" Naru protested as he held the back of his head. Alice had never struck him before and he felt a bit offended.

"For being an idiot scientist." Alice replied as Mai walked in. She looked a bit confused as she saw Lin and Gene silently laughing and Naru glaring at his sister while holding the back of his head.

"Okay… do I want to know what I missed?"

"No." Naru growled.

"He deserved it." Lin said as he sent her a playful smirk.

"Mai." Alice said as she got to her feet and wrapped her arm around the young girl's waist. "Why don't we go find the girls. Let poor Naru sulk for a bit."

Mai sent Naru a confused look, but he refused to look her way. But she could have sworn there was a tiny hint of a blush on his cheeks.


	7. wondering thoughts

**AN: So I never thought about putting humor into this, but it seems that this little scenarios keep popping into my head. But with Alice about to meet the rest of the crew and having a bit of a mischievous streak, I am sure there will be much more humor to come. And I'm sure with Gene and Alice have a fee things up their sleeves in chapters to come. **

**I was also not planning on spending so much time at Alice's house. It was supposed to be a fast case, then it could move on to more drama. But it seems this story has grown a mind of it's own and is refusing to be the emotional rollercoaster I had originally planned. I am very much ok with how this story is going and I hope you are enjoying it as well. So with that out of the way, let's let Alice meet the rest of the crew shall we **

Alice held her head as her house was soon bombarded by the rest of the SPR crew and their over powering thoughts. With in the first few seconds she learned that the group was full of hormonal teenagers. Or twenty somethings in a few cases. The only one who hadn't had crude thoughts about another member of the team was the young priest.

Lin chuckled over at Alice when she came into the base and sat down next to him with a heavy sigh. "They are a lot to take in at once."

"Its not them, but their thoughts. Do you people know how to ease sexual frustration or just bottle it all up?" Alice groaned and Lin chuckled again.

"You wouldn't be laughing if you heard Ayako's thoughts on your firm behind." Alice snapped. Lin playfully raised an eyebrow at her and Alice groaned. "Ok, so maybe you would enjoy that. You always were a bit full of yourself. Pretty sure that's a trait Naru picked up."

"Are you really sticking with that nickname?" Lin asked with a bit off amusement in his voice. After Alice had told her brother's about their past, a wall seemed to have broken between Lin and Alice. Lin was still angry with her for leaving, bit he found it easy to slide back into the friendship they once had.

Alice threw a candy over at him, that he easily caught, and she nodded. "It is what every one seems to call him. And it suits him well. Mai seemed to have figured him out from the start."

Lin nodded. "She did. She reminded us of you actually. Saw right through him. And me."

"You aren't as hard as you seem to think Koujo Lin." Alice said and Lin wagged his eyebrows at her suggestively. Alice made a disgusted sound and pushed his head away from her. "Perverted as always. Do the others realize those thoughts float around in your head? My guess is you'd be smacked more often if they did."

Lin just smirked and went back to watching the monitor screens. "There is a perk of not talking. I don't have annoying people bugging me."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Well learn to put up with me. They all seem to avoid you. And that means I'm not bombarded with their thoughts. Or what the girls think you or my brothers would look like naked. Honestly they all need help. Or laid."

Lin couldn't help but chuckle and turned to Alice with a mischievous look in his eye. "I'm sure you're glad you can't read my mind right now… your blouse is see through by the way."

Alice made another disgusted look and smacked him in the arm. "Time away has taken away your manners. I'm calling mom. I'm sure she'd love to know you aren't being a gentleman to her only daughter."

Lin just shrugged. "I do believe our conversations were part of her entertainment most days. Adding in a few cringe worthy comments at our expense if I remember well. And besides. I only talk like this around you. So it's your own fault."

Gene came into the room at that time with Lillian and Rosemary. Lillian getting a piggy back from her uncle and Rosemary attached to his leg.

"See, I told you we would find him here." Gene said as he sent Lin a triumphant smile.

"Hi Lin!" Both girls said as they detached themselves from their uncle and rushed over to Lin. Lillian some how slid her way onto Lin's lap as Rosemary climbed on the back of his chair and wrapped her arms around his neck. "We came to help!"

Lin glared over at Gene who only smirked back at him. He then sent a wink at his sister and nodded towards the door. Alice giggled and got to her feet. "Have fun babysitting. I do believe I'm needed elsewhere."

When Alice and Gene left the room Lillian looked up at Lin. "You make mommy smile again. She's happy."

Rosemary nodded and hugged Lin placing her head on his shoulder. "She missed you."

Lin smiled. "I missed her too."

A few times the other members would walk by the base and have to do a double take. There was Lin, sitting in front of the monitors with Lillian in his lap and Rosemary still standing on the back of his chair with her chin still laying on his shoulder. The girls watched the monitors quietly and Lin seemed comfortable with them invading his space. After Mai and Monk had walked by Mai had to explain how Lin's shiki had been playing with the girls and how they had taken a liking to him. Monk scratched the back of his head and shook his head.

"Are we sure he isn't possessed?" Monk said as he playfully nudged the younger girl. "Madoka is out of town, she didn't put him in a better mood."

Mai rolled her eyes, but knew Monk had been right. Madoka was usually the only one who could put Lin in a decent mood. But she hadn't been around in over a month. Maybe it was Alice. He seemed different around her. More talkative. Even more than he was with Madoka.

"Have you met Alice yet?" Mai asked and Monk nodded. "She let Ayako and me in. I thought she would be more like Naru. But I'm starting to think I get where Gene got his personality from."

Mai giggled. "Oh just wait. You haven't seen nothing yet. It's like we've been placed in the middle of the twilight zone with her around."

Alice was sitting in the base with the young medium Masako. She had informed the group that she had sensed an angry spirit outside the twins room. Alice's heart sank. She knew Mai wouldn't have lied about her drea., but she sas hoping that the girl had been wrong. That her birth mother wasn't harassing her twins. But if Masako had felt her out side the girls room, it was the conformation she had feared.

Naru nodded and turned to the rest of the group. "Monk and John, I would like you to try an exorcism on the girls room. Ayako and Masako, I would like the two of you too go around the rest of the house and cleanse the other rooms. Lin, Gene and I will stay here with Alice and the twins. Mai…"

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Mai…tea." Mai said as she rolled her eyes and got to her feet. "At this point I don't even know why you ask. I already know what my job is."

"What I was going to say, before you interrupted, was take Yasuhara to the library down the road and look up any history on my birth mother… but tea can come first." Naru said as he smirked down at the girl. She crossed her arms definitely and turned her back on him.

"If I didn't know any better, Naru." Mai said as she started to walk towards the door. "I'd say your tea addiction is getting out of hand, and I am very close to cutting you off!"

Naru glared at the girl. "Then I'll just ask Masako."

"I'd be happy too make you tea, Naru." The small medium got to her feet as she hid a smile behind her kimono sleeve. At once the thoughts of the group started to flood Alice like a tilde wave.

_Of course he would be so cruel, that little narcissists. _Ayako

_I'd wring his neck if Lin wasn't in the room. _Monk

_Why cant he just be nice to Mai instead of play with her emotions. _John

_That's right. Keep pushing her away. Let her come running to me. _Yasuhara

_I still have a chance. He is so hot when he gets demanding like that. _Masako.

Alice glared over at the young medium and walked up to her brother. "I don't want Mai wondering around by herself with our birth mother around. Maybe you should accompany her. Maybe she will even teach you how she makes that tea you love. It is obviously better than mince, since you haven't asked me once for a cup."

Naru glared at his sister, but he could see a slight blush on Mai's cheeks from across the room. Of course Alice had to call him out. In front of the whole group of course. He had never admitted that Mai made his tea perfectly. But here Alice was, informing the entire crew that Mai's tea was his favorite.

"And maybe you could help her bring every one tea." Alice said with a smirk. "No need for the poor girl to carry every ones on her own."

Naru just bowed his head and led Mai out of the room. Gene snickered and gave his sister a high five.

"So who'd thoughts ticked you off enough to get involved?" Lin asked over his shoulder. Alice smiled and walked over to him. She petted her daughters' heads affectionately and whispered in his ear. Her lips only inches from his face and her warm breath sending chills up his spine.

"The little medium. She thinks she has a chance. Not happening while I am around." Alice said and Lin smirked. She had obviously picked up that the girl had originally black mailed Naru to get closer to him. Alice's protectiveness over her brothers wasn't going to allow the little kimono wearing medium anywhere close to her brother.

**So this chapter is a bit short. But I was wanting to get a little bit of the fluff out of the way for the next update. i am also not really liking this chaper. it just doesnt seem to fit. i feel i rushed it a bit and Lin's part just feels soooooo off. ill play around with it when i have more time and hopefully can make it a bit better. Hope you enjoy!**


	8. Shiki

Lin looked down at the two sleeping girls at his feet. Soon after Naru had ordered every one to take their places, the twins yawned and cuddled up next to each other by his feet. Lillian having a firm hold on the man's ankle. He wasn't fond of the sudden interest the girls had taken in him. They never seemed to leave his side. He had to admit that they were a lot calmer than Gene and Naru. Never getting bored with just sitting next to him and watching the screens, or watching him type on his computer. They rarely questioned him on what he was doing. If they did have questions, Lillian would just reach out and touch his hand to get the answers she wanted. It unnerved Lin. He wasn't sure what memories the girl was picking up. And he knew he had quite a few that young kids should never see. But Lillian never seemed to get any bad memories from him. Or if she did, she pretended it never happened.

"You seem to be their favorite new toy." Gene teased at his seat at the couch. Alice had also fallen asleep with her head in Gene's lap. The boy quickly made work of braiding little chunks of hair. Alice seemed more comfortable as he played with her hair and slipped deeper into sleep.

"I don't think any of them have been sleeping very well." Naru commented as he brought a blanket over to his nieces. He gently placed the blanket over the two girls and gently moved the stray hairs out of their eyes. "But their fondness for Lin is a bit troubling. Even when Gene and I were with them, all they wanted was to find you, Lin. You aren't the most approachable out of all of us. So why have they latched on to you?"

"They bonded with my shiki." Lin gave his simple answer. "Where my familiars go, they seem to follow."

"Have your shiki ever bonded with any one else before?" Naru asked and Lin tensed. He had a feeling he knew where Naru was going with this. And it wasn't something he wanted to discuss with his young charge. "I take your silence as they have. I'm guessing it was Alice."

Lin glanced over at Naru and glared at him. The boy knew that familiars could feel the emotions of their humans. And sometimes become attached to more than one if feelings like love were strong enough. Or even by blood. There were rare cases where shiki had been passed down from generation to generation.

"Do you think it is possible…" Naru asked as he looked down at his neices.

"No." Lin growled and gave the boy a threatening look.

Naru just smirked. "It could be possible though, right?"

"Whoa… are you trying to say that Lin and Alice…." Gene asked with wide eyes. "Dude that's our sister. Isn't there like some kind of rule against that. No fraternizing with your students sister?"

Lin glared over at Gene. Gene gulped at the stern look in Lin's eye and knew he had over stepped his boundaries.

"So I was correct. It was Alice that night." Naru said as he glared down at Lin.

"No…. It wasn't." Lin said and sighed heavily. He knew Naru wasn't going to give up on the subject. "It's really none of your business what happened or didn't happen between us."

"Just tell me if it is a possibility." Naru said crossing his arms and looking down at his friend with a glare. Lin looked back at the screen.

"No." Lin replied. He then glanced up at Naru and begged him with his eyes to stop his questioning.

"Lin, I am asking because there is a reason your shiki have bonded with them." Naru said a bit softer than he had before. "And they are my nieces. I care about what happens to them. We know one of them can read memories, but we haven't seen what the other can do."

"Lillian." Lin said as he felt the young girl tighten her hold on his ankle. "Lillian can read memories. She has been doing it to me all day. If she has a question she wants answered she just looks at my memories. It works by touch."

Naru nodded. "They have shown you this, but haven't shown it to Alice. That means something Lin. You can't ignore that."

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you slept with my sister." Gene said with a disgusted look on his face. "I don't think I'll be able to look at you the same."

"I never said that." Lin growled.

"But you didn't deny it either." Gene said sending a wink Lin's way. The older man quickly looked away, but not before Gene saw a small blush creep across his cheeks. "Just when it happens again, make sure Naru isn't in the room next door. Or maybe wrap it so we aren't guessing at who's the daddy."

Gene felt one of Lin's shiki wrap its self around him "Hey, I was just messing with you. Call this thing off before it wakes Alice."

"It wont wake her." Lin said and Gene groaned as the Shiki wound its shelf around his mouth so he was un able to talk.

"What is taking them all so long?" Lin asked as he watched the two groups from the monitor. "They both should have been done by now."

Naru looked over at the screens and shrugged. "Maybe something is giving some resistance. Mai did say our birth mother was very angry. And from what she texted me, they weren't able to find much on her. Other than a few stays in a mental facility, our birth certificates, and a death certificate for our father. He died a month before Gene and I were born."

Gene made a few noises and Lin called his shiki back to him. Gene let out a relieved sigh then went on with what he had tried to say before. "Didn't Alice say that one of the thoughts she was thinking was that her husband left her because of us?"

Naru nodded. He looked back down at his phone and read what Mai had sent him. "Isama Okawa died from work complications, due to faulty maintenance at the factory he worked at. Leaving behind a pregnant wife, Ren Okawa, and a ten year old daughter Sora Okawa. Mai also found that Ren had no other living relatives. Isama had a grandma, but she passed when we were two. And she had nothing to do with Isama after his marriage to Ren."

"She probably knew the woman was crazy." Gene said with a shrug. "I'm glad we weren't raised by her. We might have ended up just as crazy or believing we were. Like Carrie or something. Even though, I don't think you would look good in a pink dress Naru."

Naru raised an eyebrow at his twin. "Did you just compare me to Steven King's Carrie?"

Gene nodded. Naru glanced down at Lin. "I think he needs to be restrained again."

Lin smirked and with out even looking over at Gene, he sent his Shiki to once again keep the boy quiet.

Lin felt Lillian start to stir next to him and glanced down at the two girls. Rosemary was already awake and staring wide eyed at the door. Lillian quickly climbed up Lin's legs and settled herself in his lap. Her eyes glued to the open door. Lin didn't need his shiki's pokes and prods to know something was wrong. He wrapped a protective arm around Lillian and held his hand out to Rosemary. She quickly took his hand and allowed Lin to scoop her up into his arms. Naru gave Lin a confused look, but kept himself alert. Something was going on.

"The woman escaped from us!" John's voice came across the walkie talkie. "She threw Monk across the room and he is knocked out cold. I think she is heading your way!"

"She'already here." Lin said as he called the shiki from Gene. The once open door slammed shut, causing Alice to wake with a start.

"What'going on?" Alice asked as she rushed over to Lin and her girls. "Who slammed the door?"

"Ren Okawa." Naru growled. But Lin shook his head.

"Rosemary, did you close the door?" Lin asked softly and the girl nodded as she hid her face in his neck. Lillian tightened her hold on him and buried her face in his chest. Alice ran a comforting hand down the girls' hair as she glanced up at Lin. His eyes were set on the closed door as if daring something to enter.

A woman's laugh flooded the room and Alice quickly covered her ears. The woman wasn't just laughing out load she was laughing with her thoughts as well, over powering Alice's senses.

Gene went to his sister's side and held her close as Naru stood in front of them, lin sitting by his side with the twin girls.

"Don't use it, unless it is absolutely necessary." Lin warned. Naru was a bit taken back by his statement. He usually forbid him to use his PK, but now he was giving him permission.

The woman's laughter became louder as a silvery figure came through the closed door.

"Demons! Demons! The lot of you!" the ghostly figure of Ren Okawa said as she eyed each one of the people in the room. She had once been a very beautiful woman, Alice getting most of her looks from her. Except for while Alice's eyes were bright and welcoming, Ren's were angry and crazy.

"You took away my husband. You killed me!" Ren yelled at Naru. "I'll take them! I'll take them like you took him!"

She flung her arm up in the air. An invisible force took Naru off his feet and threw him into the farthest wall.

"Naru!" Alice yelled as Ren's eyes landed on her.

"You should have let me take care of them. Meddling brat!" Ren took a few steps towards Alice, when Lin stood. He placed the twins behind him and stood between the ghost and the others. He started to chant, but Ren was stronger than he expected. She grabbed a hold of his shirt and flung him aside like a rag doll. His shiki quickly wrapping themselves around the twins, Alice and Gene.

"I'll take them now." Ren reached out towards the twins as Lin got to his feet and Alice and Gene tried to get to the twins first.

"No you wont!" the twins said in unison as Lin's shiki attacked. They wrapped themselves around Ren and held her tightly. Rosemary released the door and John, Ayoka, and Masako stumbled in.

"John! Exorcise her!" Naru croaked out as he attempted to get to his feet. Lin reached the twins and Alice and brought them too him, hiding their faces from the scene in front of them. John started his prayers and in seconds, Ren was gone.

"What the hell was that!" Ayako demanded.

"Ren would have grabbed Lillian and Rosemary if Lin hadn't have set his Shiki on her." Gene said as he helped Naru to his feet.

"I didn't command them." Lin said as he looked down at the twins. He knew his familiars would never attack unless commanded to do so. Even when he was sent flying across the room. He had commanded them to stay with the others. But he never told them to attack Ren. But he had a sneaking suspicion that two little girls had.

"You don't think Lillian and Rosemary did." Alice said in complete shock when she saw the look on Lin's face. That's almost impossible. Right?"

Lin looked down at the twins and looked back up at Alice. Letting her know exactly what he had been thinking.

"It's not a possibility." Alice said sternly.

"Are you sure?" Lin asked and Alice bit her lip. She was going to have to explain why she had left to answer that question. And she wasn't ready for that.

"I can't answer that. Because I honestly don't know. It's not how you think and I'm not ready to talk about it." Alice got to her feet and took her daughters away from Lin.

"Mommy is sad again." Lillian said looking at Lin. Her eyes begging him to make her mother happy.

"I'm sorry Lilly." Lin said as he patted her head.

Alice moved Lillian away from Lin and exited the base. She needed to get away from the others. Away from the curious thoughts. And away from the one man she swore she wouldn't allow back into her life.


	9. memory

It had been two weeks since the SPR had taken care of Ren Okawa. And it had been two weeks since any one, other than Mai and the Davis twins, had seen Alice. The woman had promised to keep in touch and would stop by the office, but she hadn't done so. Lin had a suspicion it was because of him. He had a feeling that she would pull away from him. He had deserved it. He wasn't the greatest friend to her before she had left. He was actually surprised she had let herself open up to him again. Having her daughter attach themselves to him, probably didn't help matters either.

He felt his shiki prod at him for what seemed like the millionth time with in those two weeks. But this time the prodding was different. Before they were restless. As if they were missing Lillian and Rosemary. But this time they were excited. Begging him to let them go see the guests who had just entered the office.

"I'm so sorry for the short notice Mai. I really hope this isn't a bother." Alice's voice said from the lobby. "I should be back in a couple hours. If Naru has an issue, tell him to take it up with his big sister."

Mai giggled. "Oh believe me. I like having you around and on my side."

Lin smirked. He had witnessed Mai threaten Naru with Alice quite a few times. She had even sent Gene back home with a threat of calling Alice in for back up. And Alice was more than happy to help the girl with her brothers.

Lin saw his office door open quietly as if an invisible person was sneaking in. But by the way his shiki were jumping around in excitement, he knew exactly who had opened his door. Two little girls jumped out from either side of his desk with huge smiles on their faces. They soon turned into a pout when they realized they had gotten no reaction from Lin. He hadn't even taken his eyes away from the computer screen.

"You suck!" Lillian said as she shook her hand at one of the shiki. "I thought we were your favorites!"

"Yeah way to ruin our fun!" Rosemary said as she lightly thumped one of the shiki in its nose. It wiggled in confusion and quickly went to hide above Lin's shoulder. Looking as though it was ashamed and shocked to have been scolded by a little girl in such a way. Lin chuckled and slid away from his computer.

"You shouldn't have ruined their fun." Lin said as he patted the shiki that was still hiding. It huffed at him and went to go pout by the window.

Rosemary and Lillian soon jumped into Lin's lap and wrapped their small arms around him.

"Why haven't you come to see us?" Lillian asked sadly. "Is it because mommy is sad?"

"She doesn't leave her room much." Rosemary said softly. "Only when Uncle Gene and Naru come over. Aunt Mai just goes in and lays with mommy."

"Aunt Mai?" Lin asked raising an eyebrow and Lillian nodded excitedly.

"Mommy said we could call her aunt cause she was going to be our aunt as soon as Uncle Naru got his head out of his a…" Lillian was soon cut off as her sister's hand quickly covered her mouth. Lin chuckled and light pushed Rosemary's hand away from Lillian's mouth. "Ass."

"Lilly!" Lin said as he set a stern look on his face. The girl bowed her head.

"I was just saying what mommy said." Lillian said then looked up at Lin sadly. "Can you come over and make mommy happy again?"

Lin sighed and glanced over at the shiki sitting by the window, who was watching them out of the corner of its eye. It noticed him looking and turned it's back on him. "I don't think your mommy wants me there right now. But, how about this…. Zen."

The shiki raised its head from the window and glanced over at him. It huffed and slowly made it's way back over to Lin. "This is Zen. I believe you two know him."

Rosemary nodded and pet the shiki's head. It moved into her touch, then as if it realized that it was supposed to be upset with her shook its head and went back to sitting by Lin's shoulder.

"Why don't I send him with you. If your mommy is sad again, send him to me. And I'll come to see you." Lin said and Zen forgot all about his pity party and started to dance around the two girls. "But it will be our secret. If any one knows ill be in big trouble."

"Our little secret." Rosemary and Lillian said in unison. Lin's door flew open and Mai had a look of relief on her face when her eyes landed on the two girls.

"UH oh." Lillian said as she dropped behind the desk.

"Busted." Rosemary said as she two ducked behind the desk and the girls began to giggle.

"I am so sorry Lin." Mai said as she headed in to collect the girls. "I didn't realize they had slipped into your office. Come on, let's let Lin get back to work before he yells at me."

Lin smirked. "They are fine Mia."

Mai looked up at him in complete surprise. Then smirked back at him. "I knew you were secretly a big softy. Scream if they get too out of hand."

Mai shook her head and smiled as she shut the door behind her. Naru came out of his office with an angry glint to his eye as he spotted Mai, Gene rushing out from behind him and stepping between the two of them.

"You lost them!" Naru growled. "How could you misplace two five year old girls!"

Mai opened her mouth to speak, bit Naru wasn't finished. "This is possibly the most irresponsible thing you have done so far! If we don't find them I swear you are fired!"

Mai raised and eyebrow at him. "Are you done insulting me? Or am I going to have to listen to more of your ramblings?"

Naru glared at her as Gene stood between them making sure there was his arm length distance between them. "He didn't mean it Mai. He's just protective."

Mai just shrugged. "Oh I know his threats mean nothing. He'd miss my tea too much. And besides. The girls are with Lin. I don't know why I didn't think of looking there first. Now…. Naru…tea?"

Naru blinked a few times in confusion before he got his composure back and nodded. He glared at his twin as if threatening to beat him if he even made a sound. Gene just shrugged. He wasn't sure what was up with Mai either, but he had a suspicion that it had to do with a certain sister of theirs.

Madoka walked into the office building and smirked at what she was seeing. Gene and Mai had fallen asleep on the couch. Gene leaned up against the arm rest and Mai cuddled up to his side. She chuckled and nocked on Naru's open door.

"You allowing co-ed sleep overs in the lounge now?" Madoka teased and Naru rolled his eyes.

"She pulls him into her dreams." Naru growled. "Their connection is stronger when they are close. A few minutes ago they were arguing about what movie they were watching tonight. Then Mai went under and Gene was drug in soon after."

"You seem oddly okay with this situation." Madoka said with a raised eyebrow. Naru turned away. "You can gage the how bad the dream is through Gene. That's why you are sitting in here with the door open. To wake them if things get bad."

"Is there something you need Madoka? Or is your curiosity getting out of hand again?" Naru growled.

Madoka giggled. "You are to easily to wild up any more. I actually came to see Lin."

"He is busy." Naru said as he went back to his computer.

"I'm sure he wont mind a little visit." Madoka said with a wink. Naru just rolled his eyes. Knowing the woman wasn't going to listen to any warning he threw her way. He just hoped that Lin wasn't going to be angry with him.

Madoka entered Lin's office with out knocking and smiled over at him. He seemed to bristle at her sudden appearance and looked down at the floor by his feet. She guessed his shiki hadn't warned him of her presence and he was scolding them.

"You look like you could use a break." Madoka said as she walked up to him. She placed a kiss on his lips and ran a hand down his chest. His hand quickly grabbed her hand and he pulled away from her. He glanced back down at his feet and Madoka glanced down to see what had grabbed his attention.

"Oh my god. Are those children…." Madoka blinked a few times as if she wasn't believing her eyes. "Lin…. There are children sleeping at your feet…."

"My shiki are down there too." Lin said with an amused smile. He let go of her hand, but made it clear that he wasn't ok with her touching him again. "They're Alice's twins."

Madoka looked down at the two sleeping girls then back up at Lin. "So it's true. The Davis beauty is back."

Lin nodded as he went back to typing on his computer.

"Sooo." Madoka started and Lin shook his head. "She doesn't know about…"

"No. But Naru thought it had been her." Naru smirked up at the woman. "I hate to imagine what all that boy heard back then."

"You were a bit of a player back then." Madoka teased. She bent down and took a good look at the girls. She reached out to touch Lillian, but Lin quickly stopped her.

"She can read peoples memories by touch." Lin warned. "And with your little trip down memory lane a second ago, I wouldn't suggest touching her. She doesn't need to see that."

Madoka quickly moved away from the child. "I was going to see if you wanted to grab lunch, but I can see you are a bit preoccupied. Give me a call when you mess up again."

Lin rolled his eyes as the woman winked over at him and left his office. He knew their relationship was weird. Not quite a couple, a bit more than friends. They had both used each other in the past to forget. It just seemed to continue as they got older. Knowing there was never a real future. Something they were both okay with.

"Was she your girlfriend?" Lillian asked as she slid out from under the desk and climbed up on his desk next to his computer.

"No." Lin replied and the girl nodded.

"Mommy would have been sad if you had a girlfriend." Lillian said with a mischievous smile he had seen Gene wear too many times. The girl was up to something. "Mommy loves you, you know."

Lin scoffed and rolled his eyes. "What makes you think that?"

Lillian reached out and took his face in her hands. She brought his head down till she rested her forehead against his. Soon memories that were not his or Lillian's started to flood his mind.

_An eighteen year old Lin walked into the room. He didn't seem pleased that his lessons with his two new charges had been interrupted. Alice cleared her throat. _

_"And who might you be?" she asked. Lin didn't reply. Just stared at her. Alice felt a slight jolt in her stomach and she tried to poke at his thoughts, but was coming up empty handed. She couldn't read this man's thoughts. She glared over at him and decided she didn't like him. She wasn't going to leave her brothers in his care. Not if she couldn't read him._

_A couple months later Alice had made a joke at Oliver's expense and Lin let a small smirk creep across his lips. Alice's eyes twinkled as she realized she had gotten him to react. Swearing that her new goal in life was to get Koujo Lin to smile more._

_A year later Alice was sitting up against a tree in her back yard. A small tear threatening to escape from her eye when she saw a shadow standing above her. She looked up to see Lin and groaned. _

_"I have had enough of emotionless drones for the moment." Alice spat at him. "I'd appreciate it, if you wouldn't add to my already miserable day."_

_Lin raised an eyebrow at her. He glanced around as if looking to see if any one would notice, then sat down next to her. "Talk."_

_It was the first thing he had actually said to her. She looked up at him and could see he was genuinely wanting to hear what was wrong with her. She went on a rant about how her current boyfriend had broken up with her._

_"He was an idiot." Lin said as he got to his feet and held a hand out to her. "Tears are wasted on him."_

_Alice let Lin bring her to her feet and smiled sweetly up at him. "Thank you Lin."_

_He just nodded and walked away._

_Another year passed and Lin and Alice were back at the same tree. But this time Lin was laughing at something Alice had said. _

_"They wont attack unless I tell them too." Lin said as his shiki curiosity checked Alice out. _

_"I didn't asking they would on their own!" Alice demanded. "I asked if you were sicking them on me!"_

_Lin chuckled again. "I wouldn't do that to you."_

_Alice smirked up at him and he quickly cleared his throat. "I mean unless you deserved it of course."_

_Alice giggled and patted the shiki that laid in her lap. "What is his name?"_

_Lin shrugged. "He doesn't have one."_

_"Well that clearly wont do!" Alice said causing the shiki to give her a curious look. "I think you should call him Zen."_

_The shiki cocked his head over at Lin as if asking if he could be called that. Lin reached out and scratched the Shiki on his head but his eyes never left Alice's face. "Then I guess his name is Zen."_

_A few days later Lin watched Alice running around the yard playing tag with Zen. She waved him over, but he shook his head as he watched his best friend and familiar play like children. _

_A year later and Alice was laying on Lin's bed flipping through a magazine as the man was getting ready for a date. He was standing there in dress pants that he hadn't finished buttoning and were slipping down his hips a bit. He held out two shirts for Alice to pick from. She ignored his silent question and flipped another page in her magazine._

_"Alice!" Lin demanded. Alice rolled her eyes and went to his closet. She pulled out a dark gray shirt and handed it out to him. Her eyes clearly taking in his bare chest. Lin chuckled and took the shirt from her. "Liking what you are seeing Davis? Take a good look, the shirt is going on in three… two… one."_

_"Self centered asshole." Alice said with another roll of her eyes. Lin walked up to her back and leaned down till his lips grazed her ear._

_"Maybe, but you still enjoy what you see." He teased. Alice elbowed him and he backed away with an oof._

_"Always the little perve. Now get dressed and go bug your girlfriend." Alice said with a smile, but it didn't quite meet her eyes. Something Lin hadn't noticed. _

_A year later Lin was running down a street as he pulled Alice behind him. They ducked into an alley way and Lin pushed her up against the wall pressing himself hard against her. Hoping that who ever it had been following them wouldn't see them in the shadows. _

_Alice giggled and Lin batted Zen away. The shiki was a bit confused at the state of Alice and was poking at her. When Lin had gotten the phone call from Madoka that Alice was once again at a bar and was drinking way too much, Lin was there in a heart beat. He pulled her out of there. Just like he had done every other time. But this time they were soon followed by a couple men who believed Alice was going home with them. _

_"Do you realize how stupid you are!" Lin growled. The sound of thunder erupted and soon the sky opened up. Lin groaned. Of course it had chosen now to down poor. _

_"Are you mad at me Koujo?" Alice asked as she seemed to try and make herself one with the wall behind her. _

_"No. I am not mad." Lin said with a heavy sigh. _

_"Then why do you always yell at me?" Alice asked as she looked up at him with sad blue eyes. "Why don't you care?"_

_Lin was taken back by the girls sudden emotional out burst. He took her face in his and tenderly wiped away the rain. Before he could stop himself his lips met hers. He pressed his body into hers as she hungrily kissed him back. _

_"Don't ever think I don't care about you Alice." Lin said when he broke the kiss. "If anything I probably care too much."_

_Alice smiled sweetly up at him. "I love you Koujo."_

_A few weeks later. Alice was back sitting on Lin' bed as he was getting ready for yet another date with his girlfriend. But this time she refused to look at him. She knew he thought she wouldn't remember. Pretending that nothing had happened between them. So she pretended as well._

_A month later, Martin found a beaten and bruised Alice sitting in his office. _

_"My god! Alice what happened?" Martin asked as he went to his daughter's side. Alice cried into his father's arms. _

_"I want Koujo." Alice cried as he held her father's shirt for dear life. "I… I need Koujo. It was aw..awful.. daddy there was experiments.. I cant be here any more. I want to go to Koujo."_

_Martin nodded and helped his daughter to her feet. He led her to the car and as he drove her home, his heart broke for his daughter. All she asked for was Lin. But when he started to lead her down the hall to his room, the girl tensed and shook her head. As they got into ear shot, he knew why. She probably heard his girlfriends thoughts before they had gotten that close. _

_"Take me back to the office." Alice said as she tried to turn herself. But her body was too weak to move on her own. "He will only blame himself anyway. I am already worried about Oliver. I cant worry about his reaction too."_

_Martin stayed silent till he got Alice back to the office. Knowing what was going to have to happen to keep her son's and Lin from going after the men responsible for hurting Alice. He was already sending them packing and hopefully with a bit of jail time. _

_Four weeks later. Alice looks down at the little piece of plastic in her hands. She wasn't sure how it happened. She had been with a couple people, but that had been a while before. She knew it had to do with what had happened to her in the labs. _

_Alice called her mother in a fit of tears. "He'll never forgive me."_

_Luella did her best to console her daughter. "Is it his?"_

_Alice choked back a sob. "It was almost a month and a half ago. I had a period since.. mom, the exp… what if… oh god. He would kill them! Mom he can never know!"_

_"You really do love him don't you." Luella asked already knowing the answer to that. _

_"Promise me, you wont tell Koujo! He'd be out for blood. He got mad at me for going on that date. Oh god he would blame himself!"_

_Luella sighed into the phone. "I promise honey. Everything is going to be ok."_

Lin was pulled out of the memories as Lillian was pulled away from him.

"What do you think you are doing?" Alice growled at him. Lin looked at her with a set of mixed emotions. A look of fear came over Alice's features. "Oh god. What did she show you? No, don't want to know."

Alice grabbed her daughters's hands and pulled them out of his office. He didn't even bother following after her. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the memories Lillian had shared with him. He wasn't sure if he couldn't have chased after her even if he wanted to.


	10. Zen

**AN: So here it comes! the past. and a bit of Mai and Naru time... and of corse Gene.****hope you all enjoy and hopefully there will be a new case in the next update. the others need to get in this more!**

* * *

Mai was laying next to Alice on her bed and calmly rubbed a hand up and down the older woman's back. This seemed to have become the normal for Mai's visits. Alice had been able to keep a strong appearance when her brothers were around, but she broke down every time Mai was around. All the pain she had been through, and had been avoiding, came at her with full force during Mai's visits. The young girl didn't judge or ask questions. She just laid down next to Alice and lightly rubbed her back. Every once in a while, telling the woman she was safe and to just let the emotions out. And that is exactly what Alice did. The first time it had happened, Alice was completely embarrassed. Thinking the girl would never come back. But the next day Mai was at her door with a new box of Kleenex, two tubes of ice cream and a bag full of Alice's favorite candies.

Soon Mai had become the friend Alice never knew she had been missing in her life. She had even brought Monk to babysit. Knowing Alice wouldn't be able to deal with her overflow of emotions and her now two rambunctious daughters.

"You seem worse today." Mai commented as she moved Alice's black hair out of her face. "Did something else happen?"

Alice bit her lower lip and turned her face away from Mai. It had been the first time the girl had asked her a question. She wasn't sure if she could look at her if she got the nerve to answer. Mai didn't ask again as she went back to rubbing Alice's back. A few minutes of silence went on between them, before Alice finally spoke.

"Lillian showed Lin some of my memories that she had gotten from me." Alice said quietly. "I didn't handle it very well. I was scared of what she showed him. I got angry with him. He didn't do anything. I don't even think he realized what Lillian was doing."

"Well that explains his fowl mood yesterday and today." Mai said with a heavy sigh. "I figured with Madoka back in town, his mood would improve. But he was still quiet and reserved. More than he usually is."

Alice turned and looked at Mai with a confused look on her face. "Madoka? As in Madoka Mori?"

Mai bit her lip and wondered if she had said too much. She nodded and Alice sighed.

"Madoka and I used to be friends before I left. She was teaching all of us about ghost hunting." Alice said with a slight smirk. "I guess I didn't realize they had become friends. Lin always seemed annoyed with her. Madoka was too wrapped up in her boyfriend to even notice him. She had left before I did to be closer to her boyfriend. We didn't stay in contact after that."

Mai was a bit surprised to hear that Lin had been annoyed by Madoka. He seemed to be fond of her now. "She comes and helps with cases from time to time. We all noticed that she and Lin seemed close. He talked more when she was around."

Alice sighed. "They probably hooked up when I left. Lin was kind of a play boy back then. The rare times I had gotten him out to the pubs, girls always seemed to flock to him. And he enjoyed the attention. Even if he didn't entertain any of their advances. He just liked being looked at."

Mai giggled. "Is that where Naru gets it from?"

Alice giggled as well. "I actually accused Lin of rubbing of on Naru when he was here. It's like he had picked up on Lin's traits while I was gone. He did look up to Lin quite a bit back then. Just don't tell him I told you. That is a forbidden secret."

Mai giggled and handed Alice a Kleenex. Alice wiped away her tears and Mai sat up in bed. "I'm glad you opened up to me Alice. I was starting to worry that you would just keep everything bottled up. It's not healthy you know."

Alice smiled up at her friend. "I'm glad you keep coming over. You're like the little sister I never had. Now to get you married off to a brother of mine so I can keep you."

Mai blushed and shook her head. "That isn't going to happen."

Alice winked at her. "Oh I plan on it happening. And my plans never fall through. Even if a certain brother has become even more stubborn than before. He doesn't stand a chance against me. Do you like silver or gold? Square cut or oval? One large diamond or multiple dainty ones?"

"Alice!" Mai protested as her cheeks turned a bright red. She quickly covered her cheeks and Alice giggled again.

"I'm only teasing Sis." Alice said then winked. "Well partly."

* * *

Lin sighed heavily as Mai walked into the office. He knew where the girl was going every day. The way she avoided him when she returned always gave her away. He was starting to wonder what Alice had been telling Mai.

Today though, Mai seemed to be a little more distracted than usual. Gene and Naru noticed as well, but no one had the nerve to ask what was wrong.

Mai took Naru his usual tea then surprising everyone, walked into Lin's office and shut the door. Lin raised an eyebrow at her. She avoided his eye as she set a tea cup in front of him and took a seat across from him.

"What is your relationship with Madoka?" Mai asked nervously. "I only ask because Alice told me today that they had been friends. I didn't know she knew her, and I am worried I may have said to much."

Lin gave the girl a confused look. "We're friends."

Mai glanced up at him to read his expression, then quickly looked back down at her hands. "Alice also said Madoka used to annoy you. And that if she doesn't now, that the two of you hooked up… it's none of my business, I know this. But I can't keep watching Alice break down over anything else. If you and Madoka's relationship is going to hurt Alice… I think she should be told before she finds out on her own."

Lin sighed. "You're right… it is none of your business."

Mai nodded and started to get to her feet when Lin started to talk again. "Madoka and I are only friends. We got close because we both blamed ourselves for her leaving."

Mai nodded again. Knowing there was more in his words than he was saying, but she wasn't going to push. She was lucky to even get that much out of him.

"She is sorry how she treated you the other day." Mai said as she headed for the door. When she left Lin's office she was met with a curious looking Gene.

"What was that about?" Gene asked and Mai rolled her eyes.

"None of your bees wax Gene!" Mai demanded. "I swear your nose is going to get bigger if you don't keep it out of other peoples business!"

"My nose is perfect!" Gene said in protest. "It's identical to my brother's and you think his is fine!"

"He also keeps it to himself!" Mai said as she rolled her eyes and walked away from Gene. She headed for her desk before she turned back to Gene. "And don't forget the popcorn this time! If I have to pick it up again this time, I'm not coming back to your place! I'll go back home and watch a movie by myself!"

Gene gasped dramatically and placed his hand over his heart. "Mai you wound me! And besides, Naru is going to be there. I don't have to remember the popcorn, he already got it this morning, knowing I'd forget. So there."

Mai just rolled her eyes and huffed. She had forgotten about Gene inviting his brother to their weekly movie night. She was starting to regret agreeing to it. Even if it meant getting some down time with Naru. Gene was still going to be there to instigate trouble.

* * *

"We watched this one last week!" Mai groaned as Gene held up one of his movies of choice. During their weekly movie nights, Gene and Mai would pick three movies each and hopefully come to an agreement about on of them. Gene always bringing the same three movies. Mai always switching things up. This time Naru had also picked out three movies, but had yet to show his picks as the other two fought over their choices.

Feeling his annoyance growing with Mai and his twin, Naru grabbed a movie from his pile and put it in the DVD player. At the sound of the movie starting both Mai and Gene became silent. They glanced over at the television then over at Naru.

"Hey, who said we'd be watching one of yours!" Gene demanded as he placed his hands on his hips. "I wasn't done. And I was about to win!"

Mai rolled her eyes and took a seat next to Naru on the couch. "Thank you. He was about to get smacked."

Naru placed his arm on the back of the couch behind Mai and smirked over at his brother. "Then continue. He was starting to get on my nerves as well."

Gene glared over at them and glared. "Just for that, you both can make your own popcorn!"

Mai raised and eyebrow at Gene, then looked up at Naru. He smirked down at her and nodded. They both got to their feet as Naru grabbed the car keys sitting on the side table next to him.

"Where are you two going?" Gene asked a bit confused.

"My place." Mai said with a shrug. "To watch a movie, and you are not invited."

"Hey! This is our movie night!" Gene protested. "If you both want a date night by yourselves, pick a different day!"

Mai blushed and Naru rolled his eyes at his twin. "Stop annoying us then. Last warning. If it happens again, Mai and I are gone. You can watch the movie by yourself, and we'll enjoy a movie together, with out you."

Gene glared again then turned back to the kitchen. "Fine! But if Mai and I are still awake after this movie, I get to choose the next one."

"Let's go." Mai said as she reached for the door knob. Naru smiled down at her. One of his real smiles. She didn't notice and he quickly got his composure.

"No! I'm sorry! Mai you can choose!" Gene said as he rushed in front of the door and stood in front of it. Mai looked up at Naru and winked.

"That was easier than I thought." Mai went back to her spot on the couch and Naru chuckled behind his hand as he saw the shocked look on Gene's face. He patted Gen's shoulder and sat back down next to Mai. A little closer than they had sat earlier. Gene glared at their backs and headed back into the kitchen. He was starting to regret inviting Naru.

"Lin! Want popcorn?" Gene called towards the man's room. Lin opened his door and came out of his room.

"Who in their right mind put you in charge of popcorn? You burn it every time." Lin asked and Gene pointed over to Naru and Mai. They both rolled their eyes and went back to watching the movie. "I'll make the popcorn. Last time it took weeks to get that burnt popcorn smell out of this place."

"We burnt a bag every day while he was gone till we ran out." Naru whispered into Mai's ear and she giggled.

"I heard that." Lin growled. He took the popcorn out of Gene's hands and pointed over to the couch. Gene bowed his head and sat down next to Mai. She tucked her bare feet under Gene's legs, causing her to lean in to Naru's side.

_She made the first move. Don't mess this up. _Gene scolded.

_Watch the movie. _Naru growled back as he slid his arm from the back of the couch to around Mai's shoulder. Mai blushed and quickly brought her hand up to hid the small smile on her lips.

_Smooth! Mind high five! _Gene said with a smirk.

_I am about to mind punch you in the face if you don't shut up! _Naru said as he glared over at his brother. Mai seemed to know Gene was talking to Naru in his head and gave his hip a kick.

"Ouch, Mai! What was that for!" Gene protested as he rubbed his hip.

"Oops. It slipped." Mai said with a sweet smile. Naru chuckled and brought her a little closer to him just incase Gene decided to retaliate, he would be at a better angle to intercept. Lin rolled his eyes as he brought them their popcorn. He took a handful out of Mai's bowl and patted her head.

"You're on your own." Lin said with a playful wink. "If they get to much to handle, the duct tape is in the drawer closest to the fridge."

"Thanks for the tip." Mai said as she smiled and threw a handful of popcorn at him.

"You're cleaning that up before you leave." Lin said as he waved good bye too them and headed for the door. He had been trying not to panic for the past five minutes. The last thing he needed to do was set Gene and Naru in to a tizzy. Zen had returned to him while he had been making popcorn. The shiki didn't seem to have returned because of danger. But he wasn't going to let the fact that he returned go with out investigation. He wasn't surprised that no one asked him where he was going. Those three had enough going on.

He tried to stay calm as he drove over to Alice's place and knocked on the door. At first no one answered. Then he saw one of the twins peak out the window next to the door.

"Lin!" Rosemary said as she flung the door open. "Mommy is in her room with Lillian."

Lin nodded and walked in. He headed back to Alice's room to see Lillian laying next to Alice. Her forehead placed against her mother's in the same manner she had done to him a few days prior.

"What are you showing her Lilly?" Lin asked calmly. A small smile on his lips.

Lillian pulled away from her mother and smiled. "She was having a bad dream. So I showed her happy memories."

Lin walked up to the bed and patted Lillian's head. "That was sweet of you. Did you send Zen to me?"

Lillian nodded and looked down at her feet. "I wasn't sure if I would be able to send her memories when her dreams were really bad."

Lin nodded. "You did good. How about I call Monk or Yasuhara to take you and Rosie out for ice cream while I take care of your mom."

"You promise to make mommy happy again?" Rosemary said from the door way.

"I'll try." Was all Lin could say.

* * *

Alice woke with a start and sat up in bed. Her nightmares where getting worse. Since she had told her brothers the truth about their past, her nightmares about the lab were becoming more vivid. This time it was like she was back there, reliving every moment that she had been awake for.

She rubbed her eyes and caught a bit of light coming from one corner of her room. She looked up to see Lin, sitting in the corner chair, reading a book like it was completely normal for him to be in her room.

"What are you doing here?" Alice asked and hoped she didn't sound alarmed.

"Lillian sent Zen back." Lin replied simply. He wasn't stupid. He knew Alice would have known Zen was with them. The shiki had bonded with her first and wouldn't have been able too keep itself away from her.

"Oh my god! Lillian and Rosemary!" Alice went to get up out of bed but Lin made it to her side first. She was a bit surprised at how graceful and smooth his movements had been. He had even marked his spot in the book and laid it gently down in the chair before making it to her side.

"Monk and John took them out for ice cream after I got here. They are both asleep now. And Yasuhara is sleeping on the couch to babysit of needed." Lin said as he placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her. "Lillian had kept your nightmares at bay. But after she left, they must have returned. I am guessing she had been doing that with out your knowledge for a while now. It is probably how she learned to pass memories to some one."

Alice groaned and placed her face in her hands. "God I am a horrible mother!"

"No… You are suffering from PTSD." Lin said as he took her hands away from her face. "That does not make you a bad mother. It makes you human. No one can go through a tragedy with out there being scars. Alice, you cant bottle this up. It's only going to get worse."

Alice burst into tears as she held on to his shirt and cried into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry. He wasn't sure if she was going to open up to him, but he wasn't going to question her either.

"I had begged for you." Alice said between sobs. "I didn't want my parents after… I wanted you. But… but you were with Savannah. Her thoughts that night… they kept ringing in my head when dad took me back to the office. I felt so ashamed. Asking for you then hearing her thoughts."

Lin petted her hair gently as he started to rock her. "What did you hear."

"Mine. All she kept saying was he's mine. This is all mine. That she loved you." Alice said as she cried harder. Lin tensed but tried to cover it by bringing her closer to him.

"Alice…" Lin started and Alice shook her head. Her face still buried in his chest.

"You got mad at me for going on that date." Alice said and Lin froze. The day before she had left. She had been excited to go on a lunch date and he had glared at her. When she called him out on it, he had told her she had been a bad idea. Admitting that he did remember what had happened between them. Even if she had admitted it first. He brought her into his lap as if she was a small child and rocked her again. Hoping that she wouldn't stop talking. Hoping that she would finally explain why she had left.

"The date was with Doctor Elvez." Alice hiccupped. "You had warned me to stay away from him. That his interest in me and my brothers was unnerving. But you had made me so mad. I wanted to show you that I could hurt you too."

Lin clinched his jaw and instantly started to feel the rage bubbling up inside of him. Zen and his other shiki were at his side in an instant wrapping him and Alice in their warmth and calm. Alice felt Zen and tensed.

"I am not mad at you Alice." Lin assured her. "Zen is here, for not just me, but for you as well. Let him calm you for a while before you continue. He has been asking me for permission since you came back. He bonded with you as well, remember."

Alice smiled and lovingly petted the shiki that was now hugging her and Lin. She felt a rush of calm come over her and sighed in almost relief. She hadn't realized how stressed she had actually been.

"He kidnapped me. Took me back to the labs and had attempted experiments that dad would never allow. I was drugged through most of it. I must have been fighting the drugs off faster than he had expected. And I finally got away from him." Alice said then looked up at Lin. "I think the girls were part of his experiment. I remember him mentioning that I was a carrier for the twin gene."

"Or you were already pregnant." Lin said as he shook his head. He wasn't going to allow her to believe those girls came from the horror she had been through. "He could have been making notes about you being pregnant with the girls."

Alice started to cry again and Zen nudged her like a cat would. "But… I already had a period before…"

Lin fought the urge to roll his eyes at her. "Could have been implantation bleeding Alice."

Alice giggled and looked up at him. "How on earth do you know things like that?"

Lin this time allowed himself to roll his eyes. "Savannah. Every month she'd take multiple pregnancy tests. When she started she'd say it could be implantation bleeding. I finally did my own damn research about pregnancy so I could stop that stupidity."

"Yet you dated her for two years!" Alice said and Lin shrugged.

"She was hot." Lin said and Alice smacked him. Zen clearly enjoying Alice's reaction and poking at Lin to say he agreed with her. Lin batted Zen away and smirked down at Alice. "No man could blame me. That ass, those huge…"

Alice quickly covered his mouth and shook her head. "I remember how big they were. I clearly remember you comparing mine to hers to try and make me jealous. We can skip that part."

Alice leaned her head into his chest again and sighed. "You are being way more calm than I thought you would be. You are starting to make me feel like I left for no good reason."

"Oh I am fuming." Lin assured her. "You can thank Zen and the others for keeping me planted here and not jumping on a plane back to London to beat some heads in."

Alice shook her head. "Promise me you wont do that. Or let Oliver out of your sight if I ever tell him."

"This is something we probably shouldn't tell Oliver till he controls his PK completely." Lin assured her. "But we could always tell Gene. I am sure he could find a few spirits willing to afflict some damage. Cant prove it was him."

Alice giggled and shook her head. "Thank you Koujo."

"You know I'm always here if you need me. Even back then." Lin said as he laid her down in the bed and laid down next to her. Keeping a bit of distance between them so she wouldn't get nervous. "I wish you would have just burst in to the room that night. Zen would have kept me calm enough to get you through it."

Alice raised an eyebrow at him. Then looked over at the familiar who shrunk away from her realization.

"You little sneak! I wasn't drugged! You were there! You kept me from seeing or feeling what they were doing!" Alice said and the shiki quickly hid behind Lin's back.

"Zen!" Lin called to it and it came out from hiding. Lin's other shiki quickly cringed at the scolding tone in Lin's voice and backed away from him.

"God, I couldn't figure out why I had been so calm through the whole thing. I hadn't even allowed myself to completely freak out till I was out of the country." Alice said. "Didn't you notice he was gone?"

Lin shook his head. "He followed you around more than me. I was actually used to his absence. It wasn't till he returned that I knew you were gone. He sulked for months after. I never thought it was because he had stayed with you instead of coming to get me. He knew he disobeyed my orders. I allowed him to follow you as long as he would came on got me if you were in trouble. But his priority was to protect you and knew he would get in trouble for it."

Zen nudged Alice like a cat again as if asking for forgiveness. Alice smiled and patted his head. "Thank you Zen. Even if your master is going to scold you harshly for it. He'll get over it, and I'm glad you were there."

Lin gave the girl a confused look then smirked. Zen knew what it had been doing. And he knew Lin would have put Alice before himself. She was one of the only people who actually meant something to him back then.

"So… if the girls weren't part of the experiment…" Lin asked nervously.

"You or a one night stand." Alice replied quietly.

Lin raised an eyebrow at her and she rolled her eyes. "You acted like nothing happened. And I'm pretty sure hooked up with one of my friends. Who I am pretty sure was Madoka by the way. I wasn't good with the whole pretending thing."

Lin stiffened. "I didn't think you remembered. And it was Madoka after Shawki broke up with her. Then again after you left. And well up till your return. Long term friends with benefits if that makes since."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Its called dating with out labels. And don't think for a moment that she hasn't caught feelings."

Lin sighed. "If she did, I wasn't aware of it. And they aren't reciprocated. She did become a good friend. But that's about all I feel for her."

Alice bit her lower lip and tried not to smirk at him. She should have skinned him alive for allowing something like that to happen, but inside her heart sored. If he never caught feelings. Did he feel for her.

"Go to sleep." Lin said as he moved a stray hair out of her face. "Zen needs to rest and when he releases us, our emotions are going to hit us like a tone of bricks. I know he's already taking a bit of energy from me to keep going. Your mind is going to feel drained. Believe me, you are going to want to be sleeping when Zen lets go."

"Are you going to leave?" Alice asked as she reached out and took ahold of his shirt.

"Trying to get rid of me so soon?" Lin teased. "I'm mentally drained too. I don't think I'd even get out the door."

Alice smiled and closed her eyes. "Koujo."

"Hm."

Alice smirked as she felt herself starting to drift off. "If you keep acting sweet, talkative, and out of character around me, people are going to get the wrong idea."

"Let them." Lin replied as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You are the only one who knows the real me. What they see is what I allow them to see."


	11. cuddles

**So, I did a bit of writing ahead, and almost completely forgot that I still had to write updates to get to that point. Whoops. I was just having a bit of fun with what I was writing and can't wait to get to that part. So let me get to writing on this! As promised there should be a case and more of the rest of the team. But as I write this, I haven't actually started to write this chapter…. So I'm sorry in advance if promises aren't kept. Things just seem to flow as I write so I'm not even sure what will come till I am typing. I do hope you are enjoying this! And so not to bore you with my author's rambling, let's get to the story.**

* * *

Alice woke feeling a warm body cuddled up to her back. She would have let her mind wonder down the road of how her body fit perfectly next to his, but the persistent pounding in her head was keeping her mind focused on the pain. She was guessing this was the side effects from Zen. She had actually felt it before. When she had left London and Zen had gone back to Lin, except the pain had been much worse. This time, she had slept through most of the pain.

"Just relax and go back to sleep." Lin said as he brought her closer to him and hid his face in her hair. "Yasuhara has the girls. Mai is coming over after work and keeping the other two brats preoccupied as long as she can. We have at least two more hours before we get interrupted. That should be enough time for these damn headaches to become a bit more bearable."

"Is this why you got headaches so often?" Alice asked and she felt Lin nod into her back. She then became a bit more aware of how they were sleeping. She blushed and Lin chuckled into her back.

"Don't over think it. Enjoy it. And don't worry. No one has seen us." Lin said as he tightened his hold around her and rolled his hips into her backside. Alice gasped and smacked his arms as he chuckled into her back again. "Stop pretending that you didn't enjoy waking up in my arms. To bad these clothes are still in the way."

"Koujo Lin! I will make your headache worse if you don't knock it off." Alice threatened. "Still the same self centered asshole as I remember."

"Yet, you haven't even attempted to move away from me." Lin said with a smile. Alice rolled her eyes. There was no way she was going to admit that she had dreamed of this multiple nights before. Even after she had left, he had always found his way into her dreams.

"Your charms don't work on me." Alice finally said and Lin chuckled again. Before she could react, Lin had moved her to her back, pinned her hands above her head and had slid in between her legs. His eyes held a playful glint to them as he saw the shocked look on her face.

"Are you sure? I still seem able to leave you breathless." He said in a low gravelly voice that instantly sent shivers down her spine. "Even though, you were very vocal the last time I had you in this position."

"Always the playboy. Doesn't that get old?" Alice said, hoping her voice didn't give her away. He was getting to her, like he had always done before.

"I see I've gotten a bit rusty." Lin said with his all to familiar seductive smirk. He lowered himself down so that his lips grazed her neck as he made his way to her ear. "Some one had to leave and took away my favorite toy."

Alice sucked in a breath and kneed him in the stomach. He rolled off her with an oof and she smiled triumphantly.

"Well what do you know. A stomachache to go along with that headache." Alice got out of bed and felt a wave of nausea hit her. She felt her knees go weak and Lin's arms quickly wrap around her waist. He brought her back to him and smiled into her hair.

"Fine, enough with the game." Lin said his voice a bit annoyed. "Just lay back down. Your body was blocking out the light, but if it is an issue, I wont touch you again."

Alice sighed and rolled over to face him. He smirked and wrapped his arms around her waist again when he felt her hand lightly run through his hair.

"It was the game that messed with my head you know." Alice said in a soft voice. Hoping that he wouldn't be able to hear her.

"What do you mean?" Lin asked as he tested the waters and moved his face closer to her chest. She didn't smack him or push him away. Instead she brought his head closer, laying one ear over her heart, and continued her light finger brushing of his hair.

Alice bit her lower lip and debated on elaborating. If she said too much… admitted too much… He might recoil and build his wall back up. She had never been sure how he had felt. She had a slight blurry memory of their night together, but she wasn't sure how true it had been.

"Alice?" Lin asked as he glanced up at her. His eyes looking a bit concerned by her silence. Alice bit her lip and moved his head back down so he wasn't looking at her. He had a different look to him when he was fighting off a headache. His guard was down completely, and it was the only time his eyes could hold innocence. It had always been those times that had tugged at her heart and broke down her own walls.

"I meant what I said that night." Alice said. She felt Lin's arms tense, but kept her soothing brushing of his hair, hoping he wouldn't pull away. "I know we both teased each other. But when I playfully tried to seduce you… I wasn't playing."

Lin was quiet for a while, and Alice started to think she had put him to sleep. She let out a heavy sigh and Lin tightened his grip on her as if he was scared she would try to move away. "Neither was I."

Alice smiled and kissed his forehead. She knew his confession didn't mean much more than that. A confession. But she knew it was a step into the right direction.

* * *

"Hey, where is Lin?" Gene asked when he and Naru had entered the office to see their guardian wasn't there.

"He is fighting off a headache. He should be here later." Mai said with a hesitant smile. She had been a bit nervous that morning. Naru figured it was because of how they had woken up that morning. Mai and Gene had gone off into dream land soon after they had started the second movie. Neither Naru or Mai had made another move. Both content with just being cuddled up to each other. But when Naru attempted to move away, Mai grabbed him in her sleep. He couldn't help but smile. He moved his body so he was laying down and Mai was cuddled up to his chest. Gene, some how, was still able to fit at the bottom of the couch and curled up like a dog at Mai's feet. Naru fought the urge to kick his twin off the couch, but knew if he woke up, he would wake Mai as well. He wasn't ready to let Mai go, so his twin's odd sleeping position was just something he was going to put up with.

When Mai woke up that morning, she was met with Naru cuddled up to her. His arms wrapped around her waist, her head resting on his chest. Gene was also still cuddled up to her legs. She instantly felt herself redden with embarrassment. She some how got away from Gene, but even in his sleep Naru was stubborn and not letting her go. She had attempted to pull away, but he pulled her back to him and placed a light kiss on her lips. When he pulled away, he told her good morning, but never opened his eyes. He then let her go. She had left the apartment in a hurry and must have gone straight to the office because she had beat Naru and Gene to work. Now she seemed a bit nervous and on edge. Enough that Gene had even noticed.

"You ok Sis?" Gene asked when he walked up to her and knelt down next to her, placing his head on his arms as he leaned on her desk and looked up at her in concern.

Mai smiled down at him and nodded. "I don't think I slept very well."

Mai said and Gene raised an eyebrow at her. He nodded then went into Naru's office and closed the door. "Ok, what did you do to her? She just lied to me… about her sleep… knowing full well that I know if she slept well or not."

Naru didn't even bother to look up at his brother as he typed away at his computer. He had gotten used to Gene's constant presence in his office. Even though he had his own, he used Naru's more than his.

"I'm serious Oliver! What happened?" Gene said and Naru glanced up when he had been called Oliver. He raised an eyebrow at his twin who glared at him.

"I kissed her." Naru said simply and Gene about missed the chair he had attempted to sit in.

"You aren't getting out of an explanation on this one!" Gene demanded as he pulled the chair up to the desk. "I will start becoming the most annoying brother you have ever met if you don't explain yourself!"

"You are already an annoying brother." Naru said with a smirk as he kept typing on his computer. He glanced up to see Gene's glare turn icy and sighed. "She woke up before us. I felt her trying to get up and could tell she was freaked out a bit. So I brought her back to me. Kissed her. Said good morning and let her go. I'm guessing she thought I was still asleep since I didn't open my eyes."

Gene smacked his forehead and rolled his eyes. "Your first kiss with her and you played at sleeping! You idiot scientist! No wonder she is a nervous wreck! When Alice hears about this she is going to wring your neck! I would do it but it's like looking at myself and frankly I am too good looking for a beating."

Naru rolled his eyes. "I'll give you a real beating if you don't let me get back to work. And by the way, we have a case. Have Mai call the others."

"You tell Mai to call the others!" Gene got to his feet and rushed out of the room before Naru could throw something at him. Like his fist.

Naru groaned and took a deep breath. "Mai…"

He waited a few seconds for the girl to peek her head into his office. What he wasn't expecting, was for her to bring him a cup of tea and stand in front of his desk to wait for instruction. Naru took the tea and smirked as he smelled honey and a hint of mint. She only put mint in his tea when she believed she had done something wrong.

Naru got up from his chair and walked around his desk so he was now standing in front of her. Mai looked up at him as she tried to keep her shock from showing.

"I need you to contact the others. We have a case." Naru said and Mai nodded. She went to back away from him but he grabbed her arm. "I was awake this morning."

Mai blushed and looked back at him in complete shock. Naru smirked and slowly brought Mai into his arms. "I think we need another movie night, with out the other one tagging along."

Mai blinked in confusion. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"Would you like it to be a date?" Naru asked as he reached up and twirled a strand of her hair in his fingers. "Or just a movie night?"

Mai bit her lower lip and looked away from him. "A date."

Naru's smile widened, but as she looked back up at him, he put his normal smirk back on his face. "Then it will be a date. When you call the others, let them know I would like them here as soon as they can. I would like to get this case over with quickly."

Mai nodded and Naru winked at her. She held her breath as she exited his office. Afraid she would let out an excited squeal. She glanced over at Gene's office to see that the door was still shut and he hadn't been eavesdropping. She then smirked. She headed back to Naru's office.

"Hey Naru?" He glanced up at her so she came in and shut the door. He raised an eyebrow at her, but said nothing, she usually didn't close the door so she had a quicker escape. "Did you have Gene blocked through that whole conversation?"

Naru was a bit confused by her question but nodded. "Okay, good. Let's keep him in the dark as long as possible. He wasn't eavesdropping at your door either. The less he knows, the less Alice knows, the less wedding plans those two can scheme."

Naru gave her a genuine smile and nodded. "I'm guessing they have already planned out the colors and date."

Mai couldn't help but giggle. "You have a year and a half to get a ring on this finger before those two kidnap us and make the wedding happen against our will."

Naru sent her a playful wink. "I guess that would take all the work and planning off our shoulders. I say we let them kidnap us."

Mai was shocked but couldn't help but giggle. She never thought Naru would joke about a wedding… with her. "Only if you promise to put the most unique and beautiful ring on this finger after. Or before. Something that doesn't look like a wedding ring but means something. Only then will I even consider the kidnap option."

Naru's eyes twinkled. "Deal."

Mai giggled again as she walked back out of Naru's office and got busy calling the others. She couldn't help but be in a good mood now and she didn't even care if the others noticed.

* * *

**Ok, ok, ok. So I didn't get to the case like I had planned. But I got so excited about the interactions between Lin and Alice and Naru and Mai that I just couldn't keep going with out sharing with you! So I hope you enjoy and I promise! Pinky promise, cross my heart and all that, that next chapter will have the others in it and a case!**


	12. teasing

Mai looked around the lounge and smiled at the people sitting around her. Masako was sitting quietly between Ayako on Monk. She hid her amused smile behind her kimono sleeve as she listened to the playful bickering going on between Monk and Ayako. John was sitting on the other side of the room with Gene. The two seemed to be enjoying a hushed conversation about something. Leaving Mai to watch them silently. The small group had quickly become her family and she wondered if they thought the same about each other.

"We are missing a few people." Naru commented as he walked up behind Mai, causing her to jump. Mai turned on him and smacked his arm.

"That's it! I am buying you, your twin, the other twins and Lin bells!" Mai demanded as she held her chest. "Is it a twin thing in your family, to give people heart attacks! I can excuse Lin, he is always quiet, but you other four are getting bells!"

Naru smirked down at her then winked over at his twin. Mai didn't know it, but she had just opened herself up for a whole knew line of pranks. "We have a few people missing?"

"Oh, right…" Mai said nervously. "Lin still has a headache. And Yasuhara is on babysitting duty."

"Why is Alice needing a babysitter." Gene asked suspiciously.

"I don't know Gene!" Mai said as she crossed her arms. She knew exactly why Alice and Lin weren't at the office. But she had been on strict orders from Lin to keep the Davis twins away from Alice's house that day. "I don't stick my nose in others business. If she wanted me to know she would have told me. Maybe she had a job interview. She has been looking for a second job for a month or so now."

Naru raised an eyebrow at Mai and tapped a finger on his chin. "Why didn't she just ask me for a job… her ability could be useful. Actually her ability would be highly useful on this case. Maybe I'll give her a call."

"I'll call her." Mai said with a roll of her eyes. "You and Gene bug her too much, she'll probably just ignore your phone calls."

Mai quickly moved away from the group and hoped she was out of earshot as she called Alice.

"Hey sis." Alice said in a bright and warming voice.

"Glad to hear your headache is gone." Mai said with a smirk. "Listen Naru thinks you would be good on this case. I kinda let it slip that you were looking for a second job. I'm sorry, Gene was just irritating me when he tried to question everything."

Alice giggled. "Lin said he will be in the office shortly. Then I'll come in an hour or so."

Mai giggled and quickly lowered her voice when she saw Naru send her a suspicious glance. "So Lin is still there huh?"

"Considering you were all cuddled up with Naru when I left last night, I don't think you can talk Mai." Lin said playfully and both Alice and Mai gasped.

"Lin! You traitor!" Mai hissed still trying to keep her voice low. "You just remember who I am in earshot off."

"You wouldn't dare." Lin's voice became dangerous. But it didn't have the same threat as it would have if he had been face to face with her.

"Okay, you two. Play nice." Alice said as she took back her phone. "So how did the cuddles with the bro turn out? Do I need to smack some since into him? Threaten his manly hood? Share embarrassing stories for a week?"

"No. We cuddled during a movie. Gene was down at our feet." Mai said then gasped. "Oh no! I forgot to pick up the popcorn before I left! Lin I swear if it is still there I'll come clean it! I just left in such a hurry I forgot!"

"Oh, so you woke up at the apartment too." Lin said, clearly enjoying picking on Mai over the phone. Mai gasped again as she realized what she had just said.

"You know, I'm not sure I like this side of you." Mai said then smirked. "It's freaking me out a bit. I've seen you tease Naru and Gene, but I am not a fan of you teasing me this much. It's scary."

"Live with it." Lin said with a slight chuckle. Mai heard a loud smack and Alice let out a surprised yelp.

"Just because we are friends again, doesn't give you the right to smack my ass Koujo Lin!" Alice demanded. "Honestly Mai it's like he is a damn teenager again. I'm about to send him back to you."

Mai could hear Lin reply with something from farther away and Alice giggled. "Oh I have full faith in Mai's capabilities to put you back in your place. If she can do it to both Gene and Naru, then your time is coming… ok He is on his way. Here is the plan. He walks in, you walk up to him, hands on hips, foot tapping, and give him one of those glares you give the boys. And stay your ground… and you stay like that till you see his eye twitch. Then smack his arm and inform him you were worried and he was mean for making you worry."

"Alice! I can't do that!" Mai squeaked. "He'll just give me that icy glare and go all scary silent."

"I'm telling you Mai, you will have all three of those men wrapped around your finger!" Alice said with a giggle. "You are like family to him. Don't let him fool you. If you do this and his eye twitches, it means I was right. Just do it for me! Please sis!"

Mai groaned. "Fine! But if this back fires, I'm taking you down with me!"

"Fair enough." Alice said then hung up the phone. She wished she could be a fly on the wall.

* * *

Mai nervously looked over at her friends and started to busy herself with getting tea ready for them. She was very aware of Naru watching her. He had obviously picked up on her nerves. If she didn't calm herself, he would start asking questions. She had just taken her friends their tea when Lin walked into the office. His usual blank look on his face. Mai took in a deep breath and did just what Alice had told her to do.

She started with the glare she usually saved for Naru and Gene. She placed her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. Lin looked a bit shocked, but quickly got his composure and set her with an icy glare. The room around them was deadly silent. Wondering what could have gotten into their normal bubbly friend. She felt a slight shiver go down her back as Lin's eyes narrowed a bit more… and there it was. The twitch. Mai almost lost her composure before she reached out and smacked his arm.

"You had me worried all day!" Mai demanded. A slight smirk tugged at his lips and he patted her lightly on the head.

"No need to worry. I am fine." Lin said as he walked past her to stand next to Naru. When he was sure no one was looking he glanced over at Mai and shook his head with a smile on his face. But as soon as it was there, it disappeared and he had his serious look back on.

Mai felt like she was going to faint of shock. So she quickly made her way over to John and Gene and took a seat by them.

"Mai…" Mai looked over at Naru and blushed. He had obviously asked her a question but she had missed it. She glanced up to Lin who just raised an eyebrow at her, clearly not going to come to her rescue.

"hmm?" Mai asked and Naru rolled his eyes at her.

"Did you get a hold of Alice?" Naru asked. Mai smirked up at Lin, who instantly set his glare on her. She just smiled back.

"Yes, she said she would be here in an hour or so." Mai said as she glanced down at her watch. "Well that was about thirty minutes ago, so she should be here soon."

"What was she doing that would take her an hour to get here?" Gene asked and Mai instantly turned on him.

"You keep sticking your nose where it doesn't belong and some one is going to cut it off." Mai said as Gene dramatically gasped. The rest of the group snickered.

They soon went back into their random conversations as they waited for Alice to show. Naru had some how gotten Lin corned away from the group.

"How was Alice when you left?" Naru asked as he set a hard glare over at Lin. The man didn't seem faced by the question. More looked bored.

"Alice?" Lin asked and Naru crossed his arms.

"Let's pretend that you didn't just assume I had the mind set of Gene for a moment." Naru said with a smirk. "You weren't home when we woke up. Mai was very vague when she said you had a headache. Then gets defensive when Gene asks what Alice is doing. Not to mention Yasuhara is conveniently on babysitting duty. I can easily figure out where you had run off to last night."

Lin shrugged. "I did have a headache. So did Alice. Lillian sent Zen back to me because Alice was having nightmares. So I stayed to make sure she was ok and made sure the girls were taken care of. Any more questions or accusations you would like to get out of the way? Or can we get back to focusing on the case."

Naru stood there for a few more seconds. Debating on questioning his mentor a bit more, but decided against it. "Case it is then."

As Naru and Lin made it back to the rest of the group, Alice walked in. She smiled at them, then cringed as their thoughts started to flood her head. She did her best to block them out and get her composure. She then walked up to Gene.

"Move, before I put a boot up your but for being a nosey brat." Alice said. Gene's jaw dropped then his eyes narrowed and gave Mai the side eye.

"Snitch." Gene said under his breath as he poked her side and got to his feet. Taking a seat at Mai's feet. Naru had a hard time resisting the urge to roll his eyes at his twin. It wasn't the first time he had noticed Gene's odd nature around Mai. And he was sure the others had noticed by the way they hid little smirks. Naru seemed to notice it more the last two days. The way he had slept at Mai's feet. They way he just sat down next to her.

"Spirit guide thing." Lin said with a slight smirk when he noticed what Naru had noticed. "They can be a kind of familiar. But seeing him act more like her pet is highly entertaining."

"Or he has a foot fetish." Naru whispered back causing the man next to him to chuckle. All eyes soon landed on Lin and he put his normal expressionless face back on.

Mai poked Alice, who had taken a seat next to her and the woman rolled while eyes. "You can't put this on me. He was always like that."

"I can because he isn't like that unless you are around." Mai whispered.

John hid his smirk behind his tea cup and sat forwards a bit so only the girls could hear him. "I am a bit unnerved. I was debating getting my holy water out for a second there."

_Or running for the hills because Lin had finally lost his mind. _Alice smirked at the young priest's thoughts. If she ever had to be stuck with some one on a case she was going to request John. That and his thoughts held way more humor than the man allowed himself to actually speak.

"So what is this case by the way?" Monk asked and Lin glanced his way. Secretly thanking him for taking the attention off him.

"It is at a school." Naru said and most of the group groaned. "An all girls college."

Gene glanced up at his brother and a mischievous smile crept upon his face, but it quickly vanished as two hands smacked the back of his head. He held his head and glared over his shoulder at Alice and Mai. Both girls giving him a warning look.

"Well it is a good thing Yasu isn't going to be with us." Ayako said with a smirk. "We would have had to keep him and Gene on a leash."

Naru glared at every one and they quickly looked down at their hands and waited for him to proceed. "There have been reports of a few spirits, Cold spots, a few possessions resulting in suicide attempts. And one class room that can't be used. Alice there are going to be a lot of students there. Is that going to be a problem?"

Alice shook her head. "Nope."

Naru nodded and went on. "I would like to get on the road as soon as possible. Alice and Mai, you can ride with us. Gene, you can take the others in our second van."

"You have a second van!" Monk said in complete shock. "You mean to tell me I have been driving my car this whole time, and you have a second van!"

Naru nodded. "Yes."

* * *

Mai and Alice snickered in the back seat while Naru and Lin sat red faced in the front, trying their hardest to avoid catching the girl's eyes. Naru was highly regretting his choices on bringing Alice with them. The moment they had started on the road, Alice started story time. Telling Mai as many embarrassing stories on the two. The last one finally causing the men to blush.

"Wait... wait…" Mai said in a fit of laughter. As she held her sides in attempt to ease the cramp that started in her sides. "Say that last part again…."

"Lin was laying on the couch with Naru cuddled up to him." Alice said with a smirk. "A book laying on his chest as if he had fallen asleep reading to a little Naru. And Naru was drooling all over Lin's shirt."

Mai wiped away a tear as she attempted to control her laughter. "Please tell me you took a photo. I don't think I'd believe it."

Alice smirked and dug through her wallet. Bringing out a warn photo and handed it to Mai. Alice hasn't been kidding. There in the photo was Lin laying on a couch. One hand under his head as a pillow. The other wrapped around a young boy, about twelve, who was cuddled up to his side as if too keep the boy from falling off the couch. A book laying open and face down on his chest.

"You said you burned that!" Naru demanded as he attempted to reach back and grab the photo Alice quickly swiped the photo back and placed it safely back in her purse.

"You suffered from insomnia, Oliver." Alice said as she sent Lin a fond smile, that didn't go unnoticed by Mai. "It was the first time I witnessed Lin show any kind of fondness towards you or Gene. I realized that he had beeen trying to read you to sleep. Of course I was going to take a photo. it was sweet and i wanted to remember the moment. A bit of black mail didnt hurt either."

Lin sent a glare her way through the rearview mirror. "I think I have a few stories, now that I am thinking about it. Noll, do you remember that horrible case of the flu she got?"

Alice gasped and smacked Lin's arm. "I was delirious with a fever. You weren't."

Lin just smirked and kept driving. His mind now remembering the feverish girl he had found laying in the bathroom. Her delirious ramblings on how she had found him breath taking and their close flirtatious friendship that had bubbles after. And his realization that the girl meant something to him.


	13. game

Ayako got out of the van, clearly annoyed with the three men she had been riding with. Masako also got out with an annoyed look on her face. The women huffed as the men got out of the van in a fit of laughter.

"Men are disgusting!" Ayako demanded. "I am going to request that we have a girls and guys van on the way home. Let those three stink out Lin and Naru!"

"I think one of them ate road kill." Masako said, her words muffled by her kimono sleeve. Ayako smirked down at the younger medium.

"Who knew you had a sense of humor behind that kimono." Ayako teased. She then turned her attention to the still laughing men. "If one of you even thinks about stinking up the base, I'll have little Masako sick a spirit on all three of you!"

Masako nodded in agreement as she glared over at the three men. Their threat didn't seem to work with them and they just kept laughing. Mai walked up to the back of the van and opened the doors. She instantly stepped back and coughed.

"What died in here!" Mai said as she held her hand over her nose and mouth.

"John, Monk and Gene's asses." Ayako said as she crossed her arms and glared at them. They had just laughed even harder at Mai's reaction. Lin and Naru came over to see what had gotten into their team as Alice stood back and observed. She had already gotten enough from Ayako's cursing thoughts to know what had been going on.

Lin raised an eyebrow when the smell reached his nose. "You three are bunking together."

"Did one of you eat road kill. This is disgusting!" Mai demanded and Masako giggled.

"I asked the same thing." She said as she playfully nudged Mai. "I think they should have to unload the vans by themselves. They had Ayako and I stuck in there the entire ride!"

Naru looked down at the medium then up at the three laughing men. "I agree. You three can unload the van. Lin, Alice and I will go talk to Mr. Sawa. Ayako, Masako, and Mai. I would like the three of you to do a sweep of the campus dormitory. Then the building were most of the activity happens."

"Oh come on Naru, it wasn't that bad!" Gene protested. "The girls are being dramatic!"

Naru glanced up at Gene with a slight glare. "I have a nose, and can smell. Since the three of you find it so amusing, you can unload the vans so the rest of us aren't assaulted by the stench."

The group started to move away from the van as Monk, Gene and John grumbled.

"Who knew he could take the fun out of farting." John said when he believed Naru was out of earshot. "With that stern and serious personality of his, I don't see how Masako or Mai are attracted to him."

Gene chuckled. "It's that mysterious bad boy vibe he gives off. They overlook his lack of personality."

"Keep it up you two, by the looks he is sending our way, I'd say he heard you." Monk said then laughed as the younger two quickly turn around to see that Naru was no where to be seen.

"Just for that." Gene put a box in Monk's hands and he about lost it, not expecting the weight of it. "You get to carry all the really heavy boxes."

"Who made you boss?" Monk teased and Gene gave him his best Naru smirk.

"I am co president. Perks of being an identical twin and the family owning the business." Gene said as he picked up a box to carry. "Sooo, did he ever tell us where base was, or do we get to just pick a room and call it good."

John groaned. "Well this is just great."

He put his box back in the van and looked over at the other two. "rock, paper, scissors. Loser has to call Naru and ask him where base is."

Gene and Monk smirked at each other and put their boxes down. "deal."

* * *

Ayako looked around the dormitory and felt a shiver go up her spine. She looked over at her two friends, noticing that they too were feeling uncomfortable. "Are you seeing anything Masako."

"No, but I feel dread and sadness." Masako said quietly. "And maybe a bit of fear. There are a lot of emotions left by spirits floating around here, but I have yet to sense where the spirits are located."

"This place just gives me the creeps." Mai said as she brought her arms around herself. "I mean look at the walls or doors. There is no art work. Nothing personal on the doors. Do girls even live here? I hear no music, no tv shows. No laughing, no bickering. It's just soo… "

"You're right Mai, it's to quiet." Masako agreed and they both looked up at the older woman with them.

"I say we go find base, I'm really not liking this building and would rather not explore it more than this." Ayako said and the other two agreed. They quickly left the building and rolled their eyes to see Monk, John and Gene sitting outside with both vans still full of equipment.

"Weren't the three of you supposed to be unloading that?" Ayako asked and John sighed.

"Naru didn't tell us where base was. And I lost and have to call him and ask." John said as he bowed his head.

"He has been sitting there for the past ten minutes trying to get up the nerve to call." Gene said with a smirk and Mai rolled her eyes.

"Do you even check the emails I send you Gene!" Mai demanded as she smacked the back of his head and held her hand out for his phone. He grudgingly handed it over. She quickly found what she was looking for and handed it back to him.

"Blue prints?" Gene asked and then it clicked. "You mean to tell me that I had the blue prints and location of base this whole time!"

Mai rolled her eyes again. "Yes Gene. You are the co president. You have access to everything Naru and Lin do."

"Oh boy, bro is going to kill me." Gene said with a look over at the other two men. "So guess what guys, I know where base is."

He just received glares in return.

* * *

Alice sat between Lin and Naru in Mr. Sawa's office. She knew she needed to be paying attention to the man's thoughts, but the thoughts of the little brunette secretary were getting in the way. It had been bad enough hearing what some of the students had thought about Lin and Naru on their walk over. But the secretary was borderline pornagraphic. Her thoughts mainly focused on Lin with a few added in about Naru. And even one involving her.

Lin slid a hand over and placed it on her leg. A little higher than she was comfortable with, and quickly she was brought out of the secretary's thoughts. She sent him a glare, which she only received a smirk in return and his had was removed from her leg.

_Kids. This group is ran by kids._

Alice rolled her eyes at the thought she had picked up. She had a feeling that the SPR had gotten this reaction a lot. Mr. Sawa was a middle aged man, his graying of his black hair and wrinkles by his eyes the only give away of his actual age. The rest of him shown no signs of aging. And she had to admit he wasn't bad to look at. She was guessing that is why the secretary was wearing a tight skirt and a shirt that looked too small as it clung to her chest, buttons looking as if they would be set free at any moment.

"I am worried that if this problem isn't taken care of soon, that we will have to close down campus." Mr. Sawa said with a heavy sigh.

"I am actually surprised that it is still open with the amount of attempted suicides that are on record." Naru said and Mr. Sawa glared at him.

_Why you little…_

"What my brother is trying to say, is maybe it would be safer for the students if it was closed temporarily." Alice spoke up as she nudged Naru in the ribs. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the secretary's face fall. She quickly turned her attention away from her. She didn't need to hear her thoughts to know what that look was about.

"It has been debated. But most of these girls are on scholarship and cant afford the school to be shut down. Even if it was temporary." Mr. Sawa said as he gave Alice a once over. Alice felt Lin tense beside her and her cheeks reddened a bit. He had obviously seen the man's eyes wonder. And his thoughts weren't much better.

"Thank you for your time. Mr. Sawa." Naru said as he started to get to his feet. "I would like to get back to my team and get this investigation on its way."

Lin and Alice gave him a bit of a confused look, but stood up as well. They said their good byes and headed out the door. Lin behind Alice and his hand on her lower back, as he escorted her out.

"I am guessing you didn't get anything from him." Naru asked Alice. Lin moved his hand away from her back, but not before allowing his hand to slide a bit lower than it should. The action not being noticed by Naru.

"The near pornagraphic thoughts of the secretary's were a bit distracting at first." Alice said with a roll of her eyes. Both Naru and Lin paused their walking to glance back at the scantily clad secretary and smirked. Alice smacked them both. "It wasn't just the two of you she had those thoughts about. And it wasn't individual either."

Naru raised an eyebrow at Lin then shrugged. Alice looked at her younger brother in complete horror as Lin coughed behind her. Clearly trying to hide a chuckle.

"You are so lucky I cant read your thoughts young man!" Alice demanded as Naru just kept walking. Alice soon felt Lin up against her back. "And you, I really don't think a case is the best time to start the game up. You will lose."

Lin let out a sound that sounded a bit like a hissing laugh. He leaned closer to her till his lips reached her ear. "I don't have to be a mind reader to know what was going through that man's mind."

"Are you jealous Koujo?" Alice asked as she turned a bit. Her lips now inches from his. She saw him make a face that looked like he growled with out making the sound.

"No, I realize how good looking you are." Lin said as he looked deep into her eyes. "Doesn't mean I like it when creeps like him notice."

Alice giggled and moved away from him. "That's called jealousy."

She giggled again at the annoyed look on his face as she started to walk follow her brother. He sighed and started to follow. Allowing his eyes to slide down her body. He couldn't help but smirk when he realized she was swaying her hips a bit more than usual. She was giving him a show.

* * *

Naru glanced around the base and sent an accusing look over at his twin. Everything had been brought in from the van, but nothing had been set up. Mai giggled next to him as she held out a tea cup to him.

"He didn't read his emails." Mai whispered. "I had to show him the blue prints and where base was located. Thought about letting them call you. But I felt sorry for John."

Naru smirked down at her and took his tea. The familiar sent of mink came from it and he looked down at Mai. "So you are doctoring my tea for Gene now too?"

Mai blushed and looked down at her feet. "I make your tea according to what I think your mood will be."

Naru was a bit taken back by that. He placed a finger under her chin and lightly brought her face back up to look at him. "Thank you Mai."

Mai blinked a few times in shock before Monk came up and put his arms around her shoulder and guided her away from Naru. A murderous glare fixed on his young boss.

"Wow, what has them all contemplating your murder?" AlIce said as she walked up to her brother and shook her head as if trying to get their thoughts to stop.

"He flirted with Mai." Lin answered and Naru glared up at him. Lin just gave him that blank look in return.

Gene soon made his way over to his siblings. "I'm guessing she hasn't told them about the kiss… or she did and they are now out for blood."

"What kiss!" Alice hissed as she pinched Naru's side.

Naru rolled his eyes so Gene elaborated for him. "This morning Mai woke up first. Naru could feel she was freaking out about the sleeping arrangement and he brought her in for a kiss, but the idiot scientist kept his eyes closed! She thought he kissed her in his sleep!"

Alice smacked Naru in the back of the head then did the same to Lin. Lin gave her a confused look and Alice quickly turned on him. Her stance matching the one Mai had used on him earlier. "Don't tell me he didn't pick up your playboy antics! That is clearly a you move he pulled. Stop teaching my baby brother how to be a player. Or I will beat you!"

Lin couldn't help himself as he leaned into her and wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Is that a promise."

All three Davis kids made a disgusted noise as Lin chuckled and blocked Alice's attempt to smack him. The rest of the SPR group watched in complete shock if not borderline horror.

"Like I told you before Monk. It's like the twilight zone with her around." Mai said and the others turned to look at her. They may have been distracted for a moment by what was going on across the room. But they weren't going to allow Mai to slip out of this one.

"Mai, what did you mean things have changed?" Ayako asked as she crossed her arms and gave the girl a motherly stern look.

"Ohhh…. Um… we talked… and we are on very good terms." Mai said with a smile. She looked around at her friends, but they all gave her a look that read that wasn't a good enough answer. Even John. She sighed. "He kissed me this morning. I thought he was still sleeping, but he told me later that he had been awake. Pretty sure after Gene gave him a talking too."

"The little bastard finally made a move." Monk said with a smirk. "Good. But if he messes up, we all get to have a go with him. Well Masako not so much, she might enjoy it to much."

Masako glared at him. "Thank you, I would. But not at Mai's expense."

Ayako then giggled. "Yasu is going to be a bit disappointed that he missed this. The crushed look on his face would have been priceless. "

"You wont have to listen to him whine for the next week." John said with a groan. "How about we just not tell him and let him get told straight by Naru."

The others looked around at each other. Even Mai before they all came to an answer. "Agreed."

* * *

**so i wanted to get something up before work since i didn't update last night! hope you enjoy**


	14. Jealousy

**So, I am sorry I haven't been able to update. Due to some un expected doubles at work, and cosplays I had left neglect, writing had been put aside. But hopefully I can get back to the writing for a while. I do have a new cosplay in the works, so when I get it completed, there will be another absence for a while. But it should be a few weeks before that happens. Also I am getting close to where I had prewritten! Hint: Madoka/Alice reunion. Poor Lin **

* * *

"So let me get this straight." Naru looked over at the three women sitting in front of him. All three looking like scolded puppies, with their hands folded in their laps and their eyes focused on the floor. "You only checked out the first floor of the building. And didn't even get to the class room I had asked you to check out?"

Mai chanced a glance at him. Chocolate eyes met midnight blue and chocolate quickly went back too looking at the floor. Naru was clearly annoyed with them. He pinched the bridge of his nose and tried his hardest to stay calm.

"Do tell, why you three decided to not do as I had asked?" Naru growled. Mai and Masako flinched at the annoyed tone of his voice.

"There was something very wrong with those dorms." Ayako spoke up. Her eyes showing a bit of annoyance with being talked down too. "We could all feel it, the moment we walked into the building. It was like there weren't even girls living in those dorms."

"And the emotions from the spirits were nauseating." Masako piped in. She got to her feet and attempted to throw herself into Naru's arms. She had almost grabbed his shirt, when she found herself in Alice's arms instead. Masako was a bit shocked, but allowed Alice to comfort her

"They are so sad." Masako said as she hugged Alice. The woman petted her hair and moved her back to the couch to sit next to Mai. "I couldn't sense where they were. Just their emotions."

Naru pondered on this for a few moments, before he looked over at Mai. "You've been to multiple hauntings, and never once left with out checking the places out."

"You haven't seen it yet." Mai said as she leaned her head on Masako's shoulder. Ayako patted her shoulder and nodded. Letting the girl know she was there is she needed her. "The walls are all bare. No art work, no personal items on the doors. And the silence…"

Alice perked up at that. She glanced over at Ayako and the woman nodded back.

"What does the silence have to do with anything?" Naru asked and Alice rolled her eyes at her younger brother.

"It means, idiot scientist, that something is very wrong." Alice replied and huffed when he still seemed unconvinced. "Having me as a sister, and these girls around, when have you ever heard complete silence. If there isn't noise, we make it."

Naru thought for a moment and nodded. Mai usually tried to keep quiet when he was in a bad mood, but even then she was humming or tapping her fingers. And Alice had always been loud. There was never a moment of peace when she was around.

"John, Monk. Why don't the two of you check out the dorms." Naru said and both men nodded. Gene started to stand as well. "Gene, you are staying here. Even though your medium ability is more advanced than Masako, I don't think we need you wondering around a girls dorm."

"I'll go." Alice said as she got to her feet. "I may be able to pick up something. They sure weren't quiet on campus. I maybe the only one that's able to pick up on something."

Naru nodded and glanced over at Lin, who was glaring at him. He ignored his mentor and sent the three on their way. He didn't like Alice going anywhere with out him or Lin, but she had a good point. Her ability to read minds may be the only way that they were going to get answers.

* * *

_I can't figure this woman out. _Monk thought as they made their way to the dorms. _I'm going to have to keep an eye on her. At least the view isn't bad. Not as good as Ayako, but a close second._

Alice hid a smirk as she walked along side John, keeping up a light conversation. It was easy to tell the men seemed a bit nervous around her. They had been there the first day she showed up at the office and the reaction her presence had caused. But they had missed out on a lot of other things. Except for the occasional babysitting Monk had done. Neither knew much about Alice.

"So, I have heard Naru mention you having an ability." John said and Alice smirked over at Monk. He was a bit unnerved by her reaction and quickly became very aware of the conversation going on next to him.

"I can read minds." Alice replied and Monk's face turned a deep shade of crimson. "And thank you for that wonderful compliment you supplied earlier, Monk."

"You can read every ones minds." John said in a bit of shock. "How does that work? It must give you a headache. "

Alice smirked down at John. She then intertwined her arm with his. "It was at first. I've learned to tune people out over the years. But I have never mastered it. I still pick up a lot. Only four people seen to have a natural block from me. And if you are worried, Lin can give you a charm to block me."

Monk blushed again. Talking a mental note to ask Lin about that charm. "Who can't you read? I am guessing they are with us."

Alice nodded. "Lin, Naru, Gene and Mai. My twins can block me if they choose. But they have to put up a mental block. The other four don't have to try. Their mind is always blocked from me."

"I don't think I have ever met an actual mind reader before." John said with a sweet smile. He reached out to open the door to the dorms but Alice stopped him. "What is it?"

"This building… its silent…" Alice said as she looked around and shivered. "It's like I am being blocked, or the girls have completely cleared their minds. This is wrong."

"Are you sure you still want to go in?" Monk asked and Alice nodded. "I may just need to be closer. Even though I've never had this happen before. A girl's thoughts are usually loud."

John opened the door and let Alice and Monk walk in first. Alice at once felt a shiver go up her spine.

"Do you feel uncomfortable?" Alice asked and both men shook their heads.

"I feel off, like something isn't right. But I wouldn't say its uncomfortable." Monk said as he offered his arm to Alice. She quickly accepted and stood as close to him as she could with out causing them to trip over each other.

"Are you hearing anything Alice?" John asked as he took in his surroundings. The white walls were almost blinding with no other contrasting colors or art. Even the doors had all been painted white. Almost giving the hallway a hospital feel.

"Actually yes…" Alice said as she seemed to strain to hear something. "It's distant. I can't make out what it is saying. But I am hearing something. But it does not sound happy. I'm guessing it's from a spirit."

"Would you like to see if we can get closer so you can pick up what it is saying?" Monk asked. Alice tightened her hold on his arm and nodded. Slowly the three found a set of stairs and started to climb until they were almost to the fourth and final floor. Alice stopped suddenly as her eyes widened.

"What is it?" Monk whispered and put a comforting arm around the woman's shoulders.

"The spirit. It's definitely a girl." Alice said as she took a step back. "She is very angry. We need to get back to base."

Monk and John didn't question her as they quickly led her out of the building and back to the base.

* * *

Lin raised an eyebrow when the three walked in. Alice still tucked into Monk's side and him having a hand placed around her waist. A bit lower than Lin liked. He raised an eyebrow up at the pair but he went unnoticed.

_He had better be getting his hands off her if he knows what's good for him. _Ayako growled in her head as she eyed Alice up and down. But when she saw the woman's face her thoughts instantly became concerned with Alice's wellbeing.

"Hey, hands off the sister buddy." Gene said with a smirk as he playfully nudged Monk and led Alice away from him. "What did you pick up."

Gene led Alice over to where Lin was sitting and she leaned back on the table. Lin looked up at her with a bit of concern in his eyes. Something the others missed by the way his back was turned to them and he made mo movements.

"The ghost is definitely a girl. And she is pissed." Alice said as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Ayako and Masako's thoughts quickly over powered her senses. "Ladies, can you try not to think so loudly. It's starting to give me a headache. I can't seem to block the two of you out right now."

Masako and Ayako gave her a confused look. They glanced at each other, then glanced around the room to see if any one else seemed confused.

"What the hell does that mean?" Ayako demanded.

Lin turned in his chair to look at the two women. He then held up four necklaces. "Alice can read minds. I had a feeling she would get overwhelmed and made these charms for the four she could read. Madoka, Ayako, John and Monk, if you don't mind putting these on. I'll continue."

The four seemed a bit shocked but took the necklaces with a small charm at the end of it, and placed them around their necks. Lin glanced up at Alice and she nodded.

"Why don't the rest of you need these charms?" Ayako asked as she eyed Alice. If she was able to read minds. Then there were a few thoughts Ayako was sure had offended the woman.

"We have a natural block." Lin explained. "We are the only four Alice has never been able to read."

He looked up at Alice. "I wasn't sure if these actually worked, since mine had been unnecessary. Can you hear anything?"

Alice wrinkled her nose. "I can still hear them, but it's like a whisper. I can tell there are words, but they are too low to make out. Makes it much easier to block them. Thank you Lin."

Alice said and nudged his shoulder playfully. He gave her a warning glare then turned back to the monitors.

"Why do you think this spirit is angry?" Naru asked. He didn't want to waist any more time. If the others had questions about Alice's ability, they could ask her on their own time.

"She's not just angry. She is pissed. She is hurt, and she feels betrayed." Alice said as she shook her head. "She wants to get rid of the girls in the dorms. In her thoughts, she believes they are the reasons she died. The reason she was betrayed. They are a threat to her."

Naru raised an eyebrow. "What exactly were her thoughts?"

Alice gulped and then let out a heavy sigh. "She was thinking that if she got rid of the other girls, then he would only have her. That he couldn't throw her aside like he had done before."

"Scandalous, who is the guy who betrayed her?" Gene asked sounding way to interested in what was going on.

Alice looked up at Naru. "Mr. Sawa."

"Well this just got complicated didn't it." Mai said with a heavy sigh. "I am guessing he forgot to mention that to the three of you."

Alice nodded. "And his little security is the next target. The spirit didn't go into details in her thoughts, but I'm starting to put two and two together."

Naru nodded and tapped his chin as he thought of his next move. "Mr. Sawa must have been having relations with the girl when she was alive. But he was getting attention from the rest of the students. Attention he must have reciprocated. Breaking her heart. But in death, she doesn't blame him. She is blaming the other girls."

Alice rolled her eyes at her brother. The way he spoke sometimes made her forget he was the younger brother at times. He always seemed so much older. Except for his behavior. He could be bratty or a bit petty at times.

"I think Alice should talk to him again." Naru said as he glanced up at his sister. Lin turned in his chair and glared up at the younger man.

"No." Lin warned. He was aware that Naru had seen the Dean eying Alice. It was one reason he had stopped the interview so abruptly.

"He may seem more inclined to talk to her." Naru said in a stern tone. "And with Alice's ability to read his mind. She will be able to tell if he is lying."

"Then I'll go with her." Lin growled out.

"We both know that you or I going would be a bad idea." Naru growled back. "If any one goes with her, it's going to be John or Monk."

Lin and Naru had a slight staring contest. Lin finally clinched his jaw and turned back around to face the monitors. Alice placed a hand on Lin's shoulder. She gently squeezed and he glanced up at her. He didn't look happy and almost seemed to her to protest.

"Are you two done arguing like I'm not standing here?" Alice asked with a smirk. "I promise I'll be fine."

Lin glared up at her and shrugged her hand off his shoulder. He didn't expect her to go along with Naru's plan. He was hoping she would demand to stay put. Safe at the base. But deep down he knew better. She was the reason Madoka had started to teach the Davis children about ghost hunting. Alice had always had the dream to hunt and study ghosts. It was the reason the twins started this business. The reason Gene had gone to Japan in the first place.

Alice leaned closer to him and whispered in his ear. "Would you like me to give the little secretary a greeting? Or maybe Mr. Sawa?"

Lin growled but said nothing else. He felt the light breath of Alice on his neck and could tell she was silently laughing. She stood back up and turned back to the group. They were all watching her and Lin's interaction with curiosity.

"I think I'll take Monk." Alice said with a sweet smile. "John being a priest, may intimidate him. If he was sleeping with the ghost, he maybe a bit hesitant to talk. Monk looks more laid back. It may be easier to talk to him."

Monk smiled and gestured towards the door. "After you my lady."

Alice rolled her eyes when so he heard another growl come from Lin. She smirked back down at him. She patted his shoulder and leaned down to whisper in his ear once more.

"Keep growling like that, and I am going to start believing you jealous." Alice said then giggled when she felt him tense. "Or that you seem to think you have a claim on me."

Lin glanced over at her with a slight smirk on his lips. "We both know it is just a matter of time. That is how this has always worked. So I say I have every right to get a bit angry when other men flirt with you."

Alice rolled her eyes and playfully pushed his head away from her and messed up his hair. "Says the biggest playboy I know. Put those emotions back in check. People are going to start to notice."

Lin grimaced and turned away from her. "Aren't you supposed to be leaving?"

"Still enjoying the view I see." Alice said as she giggled again and walked up to Monk. She put her arm around his and they left the base. Lin could feel eyes on him and knew the rest of the crew where watching him. He was sure none of them had heard what was going on. But he knew his interactions with Alice were going to be the new entertainment.


End file.
